Fallout 76 is set to expand massively over the next few months, with a wave of new content planned to push out the edges of the game’s map, and introduce new mysteries for wastelanders to uncover. The next major expansion for the game, as announced during the Xbox Games Showcase 2024, is Skyline Valley, launching on 12 June 2024, and this will introduce the first ever map expansion for Appalachia.
As announced during a recent preview event, Skyline Valley is a more ambitious game expansion, with hearty content designed for returning and new players. It will comprise a new map area with plenty of locations to visits, as well as twelve meaty quests, new factions, new rewards, new creatures and enemies (like a turkey-velociraptor called The Trasher), and a new public event.
Fallout 76: Skyline Valley – Plot and Setting
Skyline Valley will take players south of Appalachia, into the “heart of Shenandoah,” where the mysterious Vault 63 lies. In this Vault, the “greatest scientific minds are hard at work” experimenting on new technologies. The overseer of this vault is a ghoul named Hugo, who is part of a new group of ghouls called The Lost. While most of The Lost are unfriendly to strangers, Hugo is very welcoming – and it will be up to you to figure out why, and whether you should befriend or betray him.
Read: How Fallout 76 became a haven for Mothman, Jersey Devil, and other creepy cryptids
In your journey to uncovering the secrets of Hugo and his vault, you’ll face off against armoured ghoul warriors, and towering robots known as the Storm Goliaths. These have charged electricity attacks, and are absolutely enormous on-screen. Their fights look like a real blast, and they should make for chaotic opponents.
Image: Bethesda Game Studios
In addition to new quests and stories, Skyline Valley will also get an accompanying season of content, with rewards delivered to players at the behest of Marshall Mallow, the cutesy mascot of the Pioneer Scouts.
Milepost Zero: New quests and rewards
Skyline Valley will be followed by the new Milepost Zero update in Autumn 2024 [Northern Hemisphere]. This will introduce missions where you must escort Blue Ridge Caravan Company Brahim across the Wasteland, as they attempt to deliver goods. These deliveries will be plagued with challenges, including attacks by Raiders and other enemies, so you’ll need to be a strong protector to ensure the goods get where they’re going.
On completion of these quests, players will be rewarded with their own caravan outposts, which can be decorated and occupied by travelling vendors. You’ll also get your own Brahmin as part of this update.
Later in 2024, players can expect an additional Fallout 76 game update, in the returning Mischief Night. This Halloween-themed event will feature “revamped” gameplay.
Fallout 76 will let you play as a ghoul in early 2025
Image: Bethesda Game Studios
While the revealed updates are exciting, Bethesda Game Studios has another major feature on the way for Fallout 76 players: players will soon be able to choose to transform into a ghoul.
After a player hits Level 50, a quest to begin the “mysterious process” will appear, with players able to make a choice to lose their humanity. When this happens, players will get unique benefits for being radiated, and dozens of new ghoul Perk cards (in addition to the base Perk cards). They will also be treated differently by certain factions, which will make travelling as a Ghoul complicated – but regardless, it seems like a very, very cool addition to the game.
I particularly like that ghoul status can only be achieved after Level 50, as it’s very thematic. Wander the post-apocalyptic, irradiation-infused wasteland for long enough, and of course you may be at risk of turning into a ghoul. It just makes sense.
In signing off during its latest preview, Bethesda did also reveal one more tidbit about new features coming to Fallout 76: players who’ve already conquered the toughest challenges will soon have more content to plow through. A reveal for this content is coming later in 2024.
In the meantime, there’s plenty of goodness coming to Fallout 76. Skyline Valley appears to be ripe for players of all levels, so it may be a good starting point if you’ve yet to check it out.
