Fallout 76 Players Are Getting a Chance to Try the Wastelanders Update Early

Fallout 76 players who've been eager to see more of the game's big Wastelanders update will be able to get some first-hand experience with the new content later this month. Bethesda said in the latest Inside the Vault post that a limited number of players will be invited into a private test server starting on January 17th to obtain full access to the Wastelanders update. It's basically a contained, experimental Vault itself where players will offer feedback on the content they experience and help Bethesda get rid of bugs.

There's still no release date for the Wastelanders update in sight, but we at least know when this private test will take place. Signups for the event are open now and will end on January 14th with the actual test taking place a few days later.

"Starting January 17, a few hundred of those who opted in will be selected to join the Private Test Server," Bethesda said. "At that time, invited players will gain full access to the Wastelanders update on the PTS so that they can share their feedback for the new content, and hunt for bugs that we can squash. Participants will be able to access the PTS at all times, until we bring it offline at a later date to review your feedback and bug reports prior to Wastelanders launch."

Find out how you can join us in play testing an early version of Wastelanders on a Private Test Server for #Fallout76.https://t.co/dirQjOywbk pic.twitter.com/4BC3q5OHkf

— Bethesda Game Studios (@BethesdaStudios) January 10, 2020

Like any preview event of this nature, there are a few caveats to the test. It's unclear how long the test will last after it starts on January 17th, and it'll only be available for players on the PC. Players have to adhere to an NDA as well which means you'll be restricted from sharing certain things related to what you saw in Wastelanders, but if past previews like this for other games are any indication of what'll happen, someone's bound to let something slip.

Bethesda said Wastelanders is "still a work in progress" but that the time was right to let some people try out the update.

This test server the Wastelanders content will be housed on isn't the same as the public test servers Bethesda announced months ago. The studio said that one of the quality-of-life features coming to the game in 2020 would be a public test server where players can try out experimental features before they go live.