As we get closer to the end of the year, Bethesda Game Studios has released a new Letter from the Directors post discussing the year that Fallout 76 has seen throughout 2025. The post also discusses the various milestones that Fallout 76 has hit since its release back in 2018, including its seventh anniversary back in November. This year also happens to mark the tenth-year anniversary since the start of full development on Fallout 76.
Looking back at the year, the post discusses the first major update to have kicked things off—The Ghoul Within. The update brought with it a major new feature: the ability for players to transform their characters into ghouls. The update has been described as “an exciting, end game experience for players”, thanks to the many unique customisation options it offered. On top of that, it also gave players access to new Ghoul-centric traits, like high radiation resistance and a “feral” meter to measure the character’s sanity.
Following up on The Ghoul Within was the Gone Fission update which introduced a brand new activity to Fallout 76: fishing. The activity, accessible once a player finds a fishing rod with bait, allows players to catch different kinds of fish that can then be used to craft food. A variety of recipes could be unlocked, with each one providing different kinds of bonuses. Along with this, the fishing activity was further supported through the introduction of new fishing-oriented daily quests.
This was then followed up by the C.A.M.P. Revamp update, which overhauled how the C.A.M.P. system worked through brand new workshop menus, making building your own home base much easier. Along with this, building rules and restrictions were lifted, which made it even easier for players to let their imaginations run wild. The update was celebrated with several in-game C.A.M.P. building competitions, which saw thousands of submissions.
2025 for Fallout 76 was wrapped up with the release of the Burning Springs update, which acted as more of an expansion rather than a simple content release. Burning Springs took players to the state of Ohio with the addition of a new region in the northwestern part of the Appalachian Wasteland. The new region features a continuation of the story that has been told by Fallout 76 so far, and brings with it a variety of new characters, both friendly and hostile, along with a brand new activity: Bounty Hunting.
Capping off this look at 2025 for Fallout 76, the post then offers a cryptic tease for the next major content update for the game, which will likely come out in the first half of 2026. The tease is: “The Barndoors in Graninger Farmstead open once twilight has drawn nigh,” said by an unknown person.
“This year has been a true celebration of the franchise we all know and love,” reads the post. “This has been an incredible journey – but we’re only just getting started! Tradition dictates that it’s at this point in our annual letter to players that we tease upcoming content.”
“The team wrestled back and forth with this… what if we give too much away? What if we give away too little? Aren’t surprises more fun? Is a casserole just a salty pie? But who really likes being surprised? Where does that pipe lead to anyhow?”
Fallout 76 is currently available on PC, PS4 and Xbox One, with PS5 and Xbox Series X/S being able to run the title thanks to backwards compatibility. A current-gen version has been confirmed, however, and is slated for release in 2026.
