On June 2nd, Fallout 76 will receive another chunky update, in the form of ‘Infestations’, an overhaul that periodically implements high-tier, challenging takeovers across the base map of Appalachia. The game’s core locations will be infested with all manner of enemies, and it’s up to players to team up to take them down.
The update introduces a bunch more changes besides just that, including new and gnarly four-star legendary mods, an expansion to the game’s fishing ecosystem, and changes to how teaming up works.
In a recent behind-closed-doors preview, Bethesda Game Studios told us why Infestations is coming.
Infestations Gives Meaning to Smaller Locations
Fallout 76 has an enormous map split up between several biomes, and it’s all comprised of hundreds of points of interest. It’s a staggering thing that can feel overwhelming for a new player, but for a veteran wastelander, the smaller locations typically go ignored, as they don’t offer much beyond a little bit of loot.
This is why Infestations is so important, as it encourages players at the end of their game to revisit locations they perhaps totally forgot about several hundred hours into their character.
Speaking on Infestations, Bethesda Game Studios’ Jon Rush explained:
Infestations is another one of those forays into adding a new layer of experiences on our map. We have a lot of really cool locations in the game that, once you’ve been there once or twice, there’s really not much of a need to go back.
Infestations brings that kind of, ‘what if’ moment. What happens when this place is overtaken by Super Mutants, by Robots, by Scorched? What does that look like?
This is part of a ‘thickening’ attempt to make the base map of Appalachia more interesting and engaging for players. With that being said, Infestations won’t yet reach across the border into Burning Springs.
But this desire to look inward at the base map doesn’t mean there aren’t new things on the horizon. Rush also explained that there are ‘big things, new places, and new stories’ in the pipeline for Fallout 76.
When I spoke to Rush at the 2026 BAFTA Games Awards, he assured me that there’s years’ worth of content lined up for Fallout 76.
Are you looking forward to Infestations arriving in Fallout 76? Let us know on the Insider Gaming Discord server.
For more Insider Gaming coverage, check out the news that Witcher 3’s new expansion will be shown at Gamescom 2026
Grant has been gaming for 30+ years and in the industry for 10+. You'll probably find him playing a post-apocalyptic game or an extraction shooter somewhere.
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