Bethesda is still considering cross-play for Fallout 76.

When Fallout 76 debuted in 2018, one of the most significant criticisms was the barren world devoid of NPCs. It took nearly two years for the Wastelanders update to breathe life back into Appalachia in 2020. However, this wasn’t the only major concern that has continued to trouble Fallout 76 fans since its release. Players are still eagerly awaiting the addition of cross-play.

This has been a long-standing request from the community since the game’s launch, yet it seems we’re no closer to seeing it implemented. Gamers simply want to explore the Wasteland together, regardless of their chosen platform, which seems like a reasonable expectation. During a recent video interview with the creative director and production director, we sought an update on this feature.

“We are looking into it, and we have plans to try to scope out what that work is going to entail for us,” shared the creative director, before tempering expectations. “It’s just not in the immediate plans for us. We know players want it.”

Unfortunately, when Fallout 76 was developed, it lacked the necessary framework for cross-play. Retrofitting the game to support this feature has proven to be a monumental challenge for several reasons.

“There are huge technical hurdles that are typically addressed before release, during the actual development of the product,” the production director explained. “So going back and retrofitting it, especially with different platforms and the complexities of entitlements, account purchases, and currency, is quite a task.”

While players shouldn’t hold their breath for an imminent update, it’s clear that the developers are aware of the demand and are not dismissing it. “What we can promise players is that we will continue to investigate and try to establish plans to make that a reality in the future, just not in the short term,” the production director concluded.

Though this news may be a bit disappointing, at least we know that cross-play for Fallout 76 is on the radar, even if progress is slow. One day, perhaps, I’ll be able to traverse Appalachia on my PC account alongside friends on PlayStation 5. Until then, we remain a divided Wasteland.