Fallout 4 Next-Gen Update Has Caused Issues With One of the Game’s Most Important Mods

The next-gen update for Fallout 4 has broken the popular F4SE mod on PC. Released on April 25, the update brings performance improvements, additional Creation Club content, and more to Fallout 4 amid heightened interest in the franchise thanks to the recently released Amazon TV series, but clearly doesn’t gel well with existing mods.

Fallout 4‘s next-gen update has been in the works for a while now, with its initial launch planned for summer 2023. The update was ultimately postponed, possibly to align with the release of the Fallout TV show on Amazon Prime. Like many Bethesda titles, Fallout 4 supports fan-made mods on both PC and console. Due to the more open nature of PCs, the majority of Fallout 4‘s modding scene has existed there, with enormous upcoming mods like Fallout: London which transforms Fallout 4‘s setting into a post-apocalyptic 2237 London. However, prior to the arrival of the next-gen update, many PC users raised concerns about it breaking compatibility with current mods. As dreaded, the update has broken one of the most important Fallout 4 mods players use.

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Fallout 4 Script Extender is the unfortunate casualty of the next-gen update in question. Abbreviated F4SE, Fallout 4 Script Extender’s Nexus Mods page describes it as a foundational mod that “expands the scripting capabilities of Fallout 4” without any permanent side effects, as it does not modify the game’s executable files at all. Several other Fallout 4 mods rely on it to work, and since the next-gen update broke F4SE, those mods are defunct as well. F4SE developer ianpatt issued a statement on Nexus Mods earlier, acknowledging the update’s effect on the scripting program: “The 2024-04-25 Fallout 4 update (1.10.980 and later) has broken F4SE and the rest of the native code modding scene similarly to Skyrim‘s “Anniversary Edition” patch. I am working on an update and cannot currently offer a timeline for its availability, nor whether there will be any critical technical issues that would block an update. Do not email with questions.”

Fallout 4 PC Players Have To Choose Between Mods and New Content

For now, Fallout 4 players on PC are instructing each other to hold off on updating the game, and for those who have, rolling back to the previous version while the F4SE team works on a fix. Considering the elevated popularity of Fallout 4 straining Nexus Mods’ servers recently, the complete breakage of major mods upon the arrival of its next-gen update is undoubtedly disheartening for many newcomers to the game.

This situation is disappointing, but also highlights an ages-old disparity between official and fan-made game content. While Fallout 4‘s next-gen update offers performance improvements and bug fixes, it has severely disrupted the modding scene for the game. Fallout: London‘s developers delayed the enormous mod’s release in anticipation of the update breaking compatibility, and they were dead-on accurate. While there’s no saying when F4SE may be compatible with the newest build of Fallout 4, players hope for a quick resolution to jump back into its charming post-apocalyptic world.

Fallout 4

Fallout 4 is an RPG in the Fallout series, being the fourth major installment. This time around, players are in The Commonwealth, formerly Massachusetts, in the year 2287.

Released

November 10, 2015

How Long To Beat

27 Hours

Metascore

87