Fallout 76‘s Public Test Server (PTS) opened to console players for the first time on August 26, 2026. The test build is available on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, giving players an early look at Bethesda Game Studios’ native current-generation update. The separate test environment will help the studio evaluate the new console versions before their wider release.
Bethesda detailed the launch in its Inside the Vault blog post. The console testing period focuses on performance and display features for newer systems. On PC, the process is simpler: players download the separate PTS version through Steam.
Xbox players can access the PTS through Insider Hub
Xbox users need to install Xbox Insider Hub before Fallout 76 PTS becomes available in the console’s preview section. Follow these steps:
- Open the Xbox Store.
- Search for ‘Insider’ and select the Xbox Insider bundle.
- Choose ‘Get’ or ‘Install’.
- After the download finishes, open ‘My Games & Apps’ and select ‘Apps’.
- Open Xbox Insider Hub, choose ‘Previews’, and select ‘Fallout 76 PTS’.
- Select ‘Join’.
- Download the PTS and launch it. The download is around the same size as the base game.
Bethesda Game Studios is also using its Discord server to collect feedback from people taking part in the test.
PS5 players need a region-specific PTS code
PlayStation 5 access takes a few more steps because players must claim a code through the Bethesda Game Studios Discord server:
- Open the server and go to the
76-announcementschannel. - Find the region-specific channel that matches your location. In certain territories, Discord age verification is required before these channels become available.
- Open the channel for your region and type
/claim. Do not send the message immediately. Before it is submitted, a CODE GROUPS menu will appear. Choose a group to receive a code. - Redeem the code through the PlayStation Store voucher redemption page, then download the PTS as if it were a new game.
The console PTS is testing performance and display features
The upcoming build targets smoother performance across current-generation systems, along with higher resolutions and variable refresh rate support where compatible hardware allows it:
- 60 FPS: Targeted on Xbox Series X|S, PS5, and PS5 Pro.
- 4K resolution: Supported on compatible displays for Xbox Series X, Xbox One X, and PS5 Pro.
- VRR: Supported on compatible displays for Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X, PS5, and PS5 Pro.
- 1440p resolution: Supported on PS5 and PS4 Pro, while previous-generation platforms will continue to support 1080p.
Once the download is complete, the Fallout 76 PTS can be launched separately from the regular game. Bethesda has not announced when the native PS5 and Xbox Series versions will move from the test environment to the main game, so console players can use the PTS to try the build early and provide feedback while the team checks how the update performs across different systems.
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Fallout 76
Developed by Bethesda Game Studios
Fallout 76 is an online action role-playing game and the first multiplayer entry in the Fallout series. Set in 2102 in Appalachia, West Virginia, players control a resident of Vault 76 who ventures into the open world 25 years after a nuclear war. The game features exploration, questing, base building, and combat against mutated creatures and hostile factions. It can be played solo or cooperatively, with players sharing servers and engaging in trade or PvP combat.
- Genre Shooter, Role-playing (RPG)
- Platforms Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5, Xbox One
- Perspective First person, Third person
- Modes Multiplayer, Co-operative, Massively Multiplayer Online (MMO)
- Release November 14, 2018
- Publisher Bethesda Softworks
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Age Rating
