Fallout 4’s long-awaited free next-gen update is here, but those attempting to download the update for PlayStation 5 have run into an issue that Bethesda says it’s currently working on fixing.
Many PlayStation users were quick to complain that they seemed unable to download Fallout 4’s free next-gen upgrade, which adds performance and quality modes for on Xbox Series X|S and PS5, new creation club items, and fixes various bugs. Unfortunately, it seems one bug slipped through the cracks and is currently preventing those playing Fallout 4 via the PS Plus Extra and Premium Game Catalog from receiving the update.
In a post on X, Bethesda Game Studios addressed the “confusion” surrounding the update for those using PS Plus to play Fallout 4, saying it’s working on a fix.
“We’ve seen some confusion regarding the free Fallout 4 next-gen update for PlayStation Plus Extra members,” Bethesda Game Studios writes. “The Fallout 4 next-gen update will be available to PlayStation Plus Extra members through the PlayStation Game Catalog. Your patience is appreciated while the teams work on this.”
No timeframe for when the next-gen update will roll out to PS5 players using PS Plus is given. However, some PS Plus members, specifically those who are no longer PS Plus Extra or Premium members but who previously added Fallout 4 to their game collection via the now defunct PS Plus Collection, may be out of luck entirely.
The PS Plus Collection, which featured a number of major first-party PlayStation titles and various third-party titles, like Fallout 4, was retired in May 2023. Games added to a player’s library via the PS Plus Collection before it was shut down can still be played, but are no longer available to be added to a player’s game catalog. Many of the same games once featured in the PS Plus Collection now require PS Plus Extra or Premium to be played, similar to Xbox Game Pass. Bethesda Game Studios makes no mention of making the update available to players playing this way, but it’s unclear if this is also a bug or intended.
As some users have pointed out, the Fallout 4 next-gen update is labeled as being “free for all players,” so it would seem strange for Bethesda to hold back the update specifically for those who received the game for free via the old PS Plus Collection system. This article will be updated should Bethesda Game Studios clarify or fix the problem for PS Plus Collection players.
Fallout is having a major moment, with the Amazon Prime TV show spurring renewed interest in the franchise. Player counts for Fallout games have been rising on platforms like Steam, and Fallout 76, which was heavily criticized when it first launched in 2018, recently saw 1 million players dive into irradiated version of Appalachia in a single day. Meanwhile, the Fallout show has already been renewed for a second season.
