Fallout 76’s big quarterly update Locked & Loaded available now

Fallout 76’s rather chonky Locked & Loaded update is available right now, bringing with it several options for swapping the character’s build and CAMP location, a new Daily Ops mission type, and other quality-of-life upgrades players seem to have enjoyed on the game’s test servers.

The full patch notes call out the new SPECIAL loadouts, which are available at level 25 and later, and the “second home” feature that allows players to build and maintain a separate CAMP, at a different location, held in reserve like a loadout slot. Smaller but no less useful features include an aim assist option in the settings menu, as well as a batch crafting slider for those spending a lot of time tinkering at workbenches.

Many of the Locked & Loaded update’s improvements have been on public test servers since early February. The game’s base has been looking forward to the full deployment, but lapsed players will probably find quite a different game if they drop in now, particularly as it applies to things like user interface improvements, more interesting and varied Daily Ops, and even cleaned up melee attacks.

The update’s size ranges from 11 and 22 GB on PC, via Steam and Bethesda.net, up to 58.6 and 65.7 GB for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One users.

The SPECIAL loadouts (apparently the “loaded” portion of Locked & Loaded) can be tinkered with at a Punch Card Machine either at a player’s CAMP or at a rail station out in the world. Characters may carry two loadouts that are quickly swappable out in the world. Players always had the ability to mix-and-match their SPECIAL perks for specific, temporary tasks, to do things like pick locks or carry a lot of loot; this just streamlines and speeds up that process.

The CAMP slots (this must be the “locked” part) were touted as a convenience for players who happen upon the newest perfect spot for an al-new CAMP site, but had put too much work into their old home to get rid of it. Going forward, a CAMP Slots menu item, in the upper left of the map screen, will show the two constructions players are now allowed. Just to be clear, though, stored CAMPs do not generate resources while they’re inactive.

Bethesda also notes that powering up a vending machine at a camp site will no longer automatically add the vendor icon to the CAMP site on the map, for others to see. Players can now choose whether that icon appears or not.

Grid View

• Image: Bethesda Game Studios/Bethesda Softworks
• Image: Bethesda Game Studios/Bethesda Softworks
• This is the game board for the new Armor Ace progression game in the Locked & Loaded update for Fallout 76 Image: Bethesda Game Studios/Bethesda Softworks
• Image: Bethesda Game Studios/Bethesda Softworks
• Image: Bethesda Game Studios/Bethesda Softworks
• Image: Bethesda Game Studios/Bethesda Softworks
• Image: Bethesda Game Studios/Bethesda Softworks

Daily Ops is the other department getting big changes. Decryption Mode, which players have tried out on test servers already, has players hunting down enemies carrying decryption codes, and using them to disable Radio Interceptor devices. With each interceptor disabled, enemy strength increases, building up to the boss enemy and final interceptor. Enemies, which now include Mole Miners, Mothman Cultists, and the Scorched, also can have two out of four new mutations to stiffen the challenge.

The full list of additions, improvements, and fixes is available from Bethesda. The next big updates will come quarterly, with the “Steel Reign” campaign update in the summer, changes to Private Worlds (a feature of the premium Fallout First description) in the autumn and, at long last, fully supported CAMP pets (plus alien invaders) in the winter.

Fallout 76 is currently available on Xbox Game Pass in all its forms — console, PC, and via cloud streaming. For subscribers, its an economical way to try out these changes. The campaign content including Wastelanders and Steel Dawn, is all included.