Patch 9 is the next upcoming game update for Fallout 76, and will be launching across all platforms on the 7th of May. The patch is to be the final content update for Wild Appalachia, the game’s first DLC content season, and it looks like Bethesda has been saving some of the biggest new additions for last. In their latest preview, the studio gave fans a glimpse at a new Fallout 76 faction, the Pioneer Scouts, as well as the new Backpack system.
Backpacks and a New Fallout 76 Faction: What’s Coming in Patch 9
On the 7th of May, Bethesda will be releasing Patch 9 and “Ever Upwards!” which is the last Wild Appalachia content pack. The key feature in this update is, of course, the new Fallout 76 faction. The Pioneer Scouts are the first DLC faction for the game, and players can find them by looking for posters in the train stations around Appalachia. (As per usual, players can also unlock a free poster for their C.A.M.P. from the Atomic Shop if they don’t fancy hunting one down.)
Based on the American scout organisations, the Pioneer Scouts will require players to undertake missions which demonstrate four core values; “kindness, helpfulness, bravery, and growth”. Players will also be able to earn scout badges based on particular skills, particularly those associated with the outdoors, such as swimming or archery. According to Bethesda, these badges can be traded in at Pioneer Scout vending machines in exchange for themed loot. As players progress through the faction ranks, they’ll be able to achieve higher-tier badges. Eventually, players will gain the backpack, a new item system also coming in the update.
Bethesda also teases a Pioneer Scouts feature called Terrors of the Dark; “Listening to spooky stories around the glow of a campfire is time-honoured Pioneer Scout tradition,” they explain; “Head to Camp Adams after nightfall to hear about the Terrors of the Dark. Listen closely, but be sure to look over your shoulder for any real creepy creatures that may be lurking in the shadows.”