Fallout 76 Beta Start Dates Revealed As Opening Cinematic Debuts
One of the most interesting launches of the year is likely going to be Fallout 76. This new game represents a big move for the Fallout franchise and for Bethesda in general, and it's a multiplayer game in a traditionally single player series. There are definitely a lot of people curious to see if the Fallout formula can work in a multiplayer game, and those people don't necessarily need to wait until the game launches to find out.
Back in July – shortly after Fallout 76 was revealed at E3 2018 – Bethesda detailed the beta test it plans to host for the game. At the time, it said that the Fallout 76 beta would launch sometime in October and left it at that. Today, we finally know when in October the beta will be available: Tuesday, October 23.
As with many gaming-related things these days, the Fallout 76 beta will be launching as a timed exclusive for one platform, so that October 23 date only applies to Xbox One. Those playing on PS4 or PC will have to wait a week longer, as the beta goes live for them on Tuesday, October 30. Pre-ordering the game is the only way to get access to the beta, so if you want in, you'll need to do that before it kicks off next month.
Bethesda says that the beta will last until shortly before the full game launches and that while it's active, it won't be available 24/7. Instead, Bethesda will open up the beta each day for somewhere between four and eight hours, with the goal of getting as many players as possible online and playing during those windows to stress test the servers. The company says that it will try to give as much prior warning as it can before servers go up each day, and beta participants are encouraged to follow the Bethesda and Fallout Twitter accounts or check the Bethesda.net status page regularly for updates.
In addition to announcing the beta start date today, Bethesda also published Fallout 76's opening cinematic, which you can see above. This video sets the stage for Reclamation Day – the day Vault 76's inhabitants return to the surface – which serves as the beginning of the game. Fallout 76 launches on November 14 for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.