Bethesda: Fallout 4 Modes Similar, Not a Bug

The arrival of Fallout 4's Next-Gen update was met with mixed feelings as it brought both enhancements and unintended issues to the title. The update adds a Quality Mode and a Performance Mode for current-gen consoles, with both modes supposedly offering different frame rates at a native 4K resolution. However, Xbox Series X players noticed that the Quality Mode unexpectedly provides smoother gameplay and barely any noticeable graphical enhancements—a fact Bethesda later confirmed as intentional on Twitter. The studio explained that both modes on the Xbox Series X are designed to hit 60 FPS, with Performance Mode more aggressively lowering settings to maintain this framerate.

Bethesda's approach to the Xbox Series X differs from the PlayStation 5, where players can enjoy a clear distinction between 30 FPS at 4K in Quality Mode and 60 FPS at 4K in Performance Mode. The Next-Gen update also caused complications for PC gamers, affecting mods and accessibility of graphic settings. Bethesda may need to deploy a hotfix to address these issues and streamline the update's impact across platforms.

The Next-Gen update for Fallout 4 on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X introduces a Quality Mode with native 4K resolution at 30 FPS and a Performance Mode running at 60 FPS. It aims to enhance the visual fidelity and smoothness of gameplay for an optimized experience on these consoles.

Fallout 4, developed by Bethesda Game Studios and published by Bethesda Softworks, is an open-world action RPG set in a post-apocalyptic environment. The game is renowned for its extensive world-building, player choice, and deep role-playing systems. Set in a devastated Boston area, players take on the role of the "Sole Survivor" who emerges from a long-term cryogenic stasis in Vault 111, and ventures out into the wasteland known as the Commonwealth. The game's popularity has led to several expansions, incorporating new stories, quests, and regions to explore.