Fallout 76’s Console PTS Is Open on PS5 and Xbox

Xbox Insiders who own Fallout 76 or have Game Pass can join through Insider Hub, while PS5 players claim a regional Discord code to test 60 FPS, higher resolutions, and VRR.

68 3 minutes read

A Fallout 76 character gives a thumbs-up in a post-apocalyptic town

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. Its 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. Xbox players can access the test if they are Xbox Insiders who own Fallout 76 or have access through an active Game Pass subscription; Microsoft’s Xbox Series PTS instructions outline the platform’s requirements. 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’ if the app is not already on the console.
After the download finishes, open ‘My Games & Apps’ and select ‘Apps’.
Open Xbox Insider Hub, choose ‘Previews’, and select ‘Fallout 76 (Public Test Server)’.
Select ‘Join’ and wait for registration to finish.
When prompted, open the Store listing and install Fallout 76 (Public Test Server). The download is around the same size as the base game, and the PTS launches separately from the regular game.

If selecting Show in Store produces an error, wait 15 minutes before trying again. Players who cannot see the preview in Xbox Insider Hub should check that they either own Fallout 76 or have access through an active Game Pass subscription.

What carries over to the Xbox test

Players will not start from nothing. Bethesda takes a snapshot of each player’s live-game character for use in the test, including weapons, armor, items, C.A.M.P.S, and other character data.

There are some important limits, though. The Atomic Shop and seasonal content are not active in the PTS, and progress made there will not transfer to the live game. PTS character progress also resets between test cycles because a new snapshot is taken before each cycle begins.

A PTS Locker outside Vault 76 provides quick access to mods, ammunition, weapons, and other items connected to the features being tested. Since the build is unfinished, bugs and other issues are expected. Most new content may also be available in English only because translations are not yet complete.

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-announcements channel.
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.

Bethesda Game Studios is also using its Discord server to collect feedback from people taking part in the test.

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.

Bethesda has not announced when the native PS5 and Xbox Series versions will move from the test environment to the main game. 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.

Did these steps get you into the Fallout 76 PTS? Share your thoughts in the comments, and follow us on X, Bluesky, YouTube, Instagram, Steam, and Telegram.

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
Age Rating