Fans of Amazon Prime Video's Fallout can get the Fallout 4 next-gen upgrade now

Bethesda has dropped the long-awaited update... at last!

Hot on the heels of Amazon Prime Video's successful Fallout series, which can be watched in its entirety right now, Bethesda has deployed a long-awaited update for Fallout 4.

The last mainline Fallout game, Fallout 4 was released back in 2015 and hadn't ever been updated to run better on current-generation consoles. Now, though, that update is here, meaning there are native PS5 and Xbox Series X/S versions of the game available to download.

The update brings with it major graphical improvements, particularly where resolution and framerate are concerned, as well as some welcome bug fixes, some of which fix issues that have been around for years.  

Finally, there are some new armour sets to find and equip, too, making it a little more than just a graphical patch.

Because the update is coming in the form of new native versions of the game, you will need to download it fresh from your game store of choice, but if you own Fallout 4 already you should be able to access it for free.

The only hiccup at this stage is on PlayStation. Back when the PS5 launched, Fallout 4 was included in the PlayStation Plus Collection, which let new PS5 owners add it to their library for free.

For whatever reason, right now if that's the version of Fallout 4 that you own, you're not able to get the new PS5 version for free – something that Bethesda has already said it's looking into.

This isn't direct confirmation that people in this boat will eventually get the new version of the game for free, but it certainly sounds like that's the goal. 

Fallout is very much enjoying a boom as a result of the attention and acclaim Amazon Prime Video's show has brought, upping its kudos among the best streaming services.

Elsewhere, the MMO-esque Fallout 76 has seen a huge spike in players – with over a million logging on to play it this past weekend. Given how poorly it first reviewed, that's quite the milestone.

It's clear that the Fallout franchise is in rude health, then, although that doesn't mean we're any closer to Fallout 5. Indeed, the second season of Amazon's Fallout series is more likely before then – it was renewed before the first episode even aired!

With Bethesda working on the next Elder Scrolls game for now, so it could be years and years until we're given the chance to return to the Wasteland in another full Fallout game, sadly. But hopefully it'll be worth waiting for. Still, for now, there's this Fallout 4 upgrade that's well worth digging your teeth into.

Max Freeman-Mills

Max is a freelance writer with years of experience in tech and entertainment. He's also a gaming expert, both with the games themselves and in testing accessories and consoles, having flexed that expertise at Pocket-lint as a features editor. He has tested all manner of tech too, from headphones and speakers to apps and software.