Fallout 76's Battle Royale Mode Will Remain Online

Fallout 76's Nuclear Winter — a battle royale mode — was only supposed to be available from June 10 through June 17. That period of time was a trial, of sorts, giving players an early look at Nuclear Winter while it was in beta. Now it seems Bethesda has changed its mind.

GameSpot is reporting that Nuclear Winter is going to stick around, after word came from Bethesda that the studio has been "blown away" by the mode's reception.

"With all the excitement and popularity, we wanted to let you know that the pre-beta sneak peek of Nuclear Winter will remain on and continue to receive updates, so keep sharing your feedback," Bethesda said. "There's more to come! Thank you again for playing, sharing, and being the best community there is."

The move makes sense. If we're working off of the premise that Fallout 76's Nuclear Winter mode has brought some players back (and maybe pulled some new ones into the mix), why let go of a good thing? Fallout 76 hasn't exactly been sterling since it launched late last year, and really, there have been more reasons to speak ill of the game than to praise it; at least if you're judging by what gets posted online. Fallout 76 has been needing something to break its way, and Nuclear Winter might just be it.

The question that remains is, can Bethesda get the rest of Fallout 76 to be just as enticing? The studio sure seems intent on making that happen. Fallout 76 is getting a massive expansion this fall called Wastelanders that'll address a number of issues with the game, add new content, and even reintroduce non-playable human characters back into the fold. That expansion should give Fallout 76 a bit of what it's been missing; namely a single-player experience that more closely resembles past Fallout titles. And that's exactly what many players have been asking for since the game launched.

With Wastelanders due this fall and Nuclear Winter apparently staying put for the moment, it suddenly feels like Fallout 76 just caught a second wind. We'll have to wait and see how the expansion is ultimately received, but things are starting to look up for Bethesda's beleaguered title. For those who've been playing since launch, it's not a moment too soon.