The delay was due to final testing for the update being affected by the studio’s remote work arrangements
On March 26, Bethesda Game Studios announced on Twitter that the release date for Fallout 76’s Wastelanders update will be April 14 instead of April 7. As the studio’s employees are now working remotely to ensure their safety in light of the COVID-19 situation, the final testing for the update has been affected. Hence, the studio decided to delay the release of Wastelanders by a week.
You can view the tweet in its entirety here:
The free Wastelanders update would introduce NPCs and add new weapons, locations, enemies, and more. Players will be able to interact with two different factions and earn their trust through a reputation system. With NPCs, a conversation system that should be familiar to those who have played Fallout 3 or New Vegas has been implemented as well.
Previously, the developers have released a preview of what players can expect in terms of gameplay, which you can view below:
Bethesda Game Studios is not alone in allowing their employees to work remotely from home due to COVID-19. Their parent company and publisher, Bethesda Softworks, has done the same for the other development studios and offices under them, according to a tweet posted on March 18:
Other game companies such as Ubisoft, Blizzard, Rockstar Games and Digital Extremes have implemented their own work-from-home policies too.
With how serious the COVID-19 situation is, I do not mind waiting an additional week for Wastelanders if Bethesda Game Studios is able to keep their employees safe by having them work remotely from home. I would say the same for other companies, even those not in the gaming industry. The health and safety of our fellow human beings should come first.
Post published: 1 April 2020
Last updated: 6 April 2020
Update: Edited the first paragraph and the post excerpt for clarity.
Writing With Biscuits 