Ethan Crossfield 
Bethesda has outlined the next major phase of Fallout 76, confirming a sequence of updates that will carry the game through late 2026 and into summer 2027. The roadmap culminates in a Raven Rock expansion tied to Fallout 3, giving the long-running online game a larger role in shaping the franchise's immediate future.
What happened
Fallout 76 is currently running its Beware the Blood Moon season, which follows the story of the Slasher, a miniature killer at the center of the ongoing questline. Its remaining stages are scheduled across October and will conclude with a confrontation against the Reborn Pint-Sized Slasher.
After that storyline, Bethesda plans to add World Pets in winter 2026. The update will let players bring their C.A.M.P. pets into adventures across Appalachia. Companions will gain levels while traveling and will respond to commands including Stay, Follow, Protect, and Kill. World Pets will also add Bounties in Skyline Valley and provide more background on the Blue Ridge Caravan Company's departure from the region.
The spring 2027 Hideouts update will expand the game's bounty structure. The Ghoul will offer larger contracts that send players into dangerous hideouts, designed as challenging dungeon-style activities for solo players or co-op groups. Bethesda is positioning them between the early endgame and the more demanding Raid content.
Why it matters
The most significant part of the plan is the Raven Rock update, scheduled for summer 2027. Raven Rock is one of Fallout 3's defining locations, and its arrival in Fallout 76 will serve as a prequel story about the Enclave's activity in the region roughly 200 years before the Lone Wanderer's conflict with the faction.
That choice gives Bethesda a way to connect Fallout 76 with a better-known single-player entry while continuing to build on the game's live-service foundation. Fallout 76 has effectively been the franchise's main video game release since launching in 2018. Although the Fallout television series has expanded the brand's audience, no new mainline game has arrived to follow that momentum.
Bethesda has confirmed remasters of Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas, while Obsidian Entertainment is working on another new Fallout project. However, none of those games has a confirmed release date. Any suggestion that Raven Rock will lead directly into Fallout 3 Remastered remains speculation rather than an announced launch plan.
What to watch next
Players should first watch how the remaining Beware the Blood Moon chapters resolve before World Pets becomes the next major milestone. The pet system could add a more active role for C.A.M.P. companions, especially if leveling and combat commands make them useful beyond decoration.
Hideouts will be the clearest test of Fallout 76's progression design. Their intended position between early endgame activities and Raids suggests Bethesda is targeting players who want more demanding content without immediately committing to the game's highest difficulty tier.
Raven Rock will likely draw the greatest attention from Fallout 3 fans. Its story placement gives Bethesda room to revisit familiar lore while keeping the focus on Fallout 76. The expansion may also renew interest in the wider Fallout release schedule, but the roadmap itself does not confirm when any remaster or new project will launch.
Key takeaways
- World Pets is planned for winter 2026 and will let C.A.M.P. pets join players on the map.
- Hideouts is planned for spring 2027 as a solo or co-op challenge between early endgame content and Raids.
- Raven Rock is planned as a Fallout 76 map expansion for summer 2027.
- Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas remasters are confirmed, but their release dates remain unknown.
Fallout 76 roadmap
| Update | Planned window | Main focus |
|---|---|---|
| World Pets | Winter 2026 | Traveling C.A.M.P. pets, commands, and Skyline Valley Bounties |
| Hideouts | Spring 2027 | Larger bounty contracts and challenging solo or co-op dungeons |
| Raven Rock | Summer 2027 | A Fallout 3-linked map expansion focused on the Enclave |
Expert View
Bethesda is using Fallout 76 as the franchise's most immediate engine for new story and gameplay, and this roadmap is its clearest attempt yet to make that strategy feel meaningful beyond routine seasonal content. World Pets and Hideouts can strengthen the game's day-to-day loop, but Raven Rock carries the real editorial weight. If Bethesda delivers a substantial prequel that respects Fallout 3's setting, Fallout 76 could become an important bridge between the series' past and its still-uncertain future.
