The multiplayer action role-playing game Fallout 76 will release its next major content update, Burning Springs,on December 2. Burning Springs introduces the titular region, a massive new area of southeastern Ohio. In Burning Springs, Fallout 76players will encounter the Rust King and his Rust Raiders as well as the iconic Ghoul from the Fallout TV series. While Fallout 76's developers are currently heavily focused on all things Burning Springs, they also have plenty of exciting content planned for 2026.
Fallout 76 production director Bill LaCoste and creative director Jon Rush recently provided Game Rant with a few hints about what is in the future. Currently, their major focus is on the Burning Springs update, which will provide tons of new content for players—"There's a lot of content and a lot of hours wrapped into this new update," LaCoste promised. However, they have a few ideas about where things might go in 2026, especially now that players will have an entire new region of Appalachia to explore.
2026 Will Focus On Both "New Content" And "New Systems"
A previous statement made by Bill LaCoste in October described 2025's update focused on building and tuning features that make it impossible for our players to log out" — and 2025 indeed saw many players start fresh in Fallout 76. He went on to say that "next year’s updates will remind [players] why it’s the best place to adventure with friends."
For Game Rant Advance, LaCoste went on to further explain the team's plans for 2026 as follows:
"As Jon and I have said a lot recently, we want to add new systems to the game, but not forget about them in future updates, so look for major release[s] with new content, but also expansions to fishing, bounty hunting, public events, and places like Skyline Valley."
Bounty Hunting Will Likely Continue to be a Focus
Bounty hunting is going to be a major focus in the Burning Springs update, with Walton Goggins' Ghoul from the Fallout TV series looking for individuals with "unique skills" to take on "low-level bounties that aren't worth his time." Players will be able to take on two different kinds of bounties from The Ghoul—lower-level Grunt Hunts and more difficult Head Hunts—and these hunts will serve as a major source of currency and items in Burning Springs.
It is likely that Grunt Hunts and Head Hunts, as well as other existing bounty hunting options, will continue to be expanded upon as Fallout 76 updates throughout 2026. More targets could be added, especially for Head Hunts, which are described as highly difficult Public Events where "everyone within earshot" can team up to take down a "tough as they come" foe. Of course, additional rewards in the form of legendary items could also be added alongside potential new bounties in 2026.
Fishing May See Expansion In 2026
Fishing is a newer addition to Fallout 76, debuting in the Gone Fission update in June 2025. Currently, there are dozens of fish available to catch throughout Appalachia, including legendary fish and seasonally exclusive axolotls. There are also fishing rod mods players can unlock, challenges to complete, and rewards to be earned by feeding fish to the giant hermit crab Linda-Lee.
LaCoste and Rush did not share any details about how fishing might be expanded in 2026, but adding new locations and fish to catch seems plausible. New fish, gear, and fishing spots could be added to the Burning Springs region, which features the Hocking River as a major body of water. Perhaps there will be some Rust-infested legendary fish that players can catch in the area.
Many More Public Events Are Likely In Store
Public events are likely to be a major focus for Fallout 76in 2026. The Burning Springs update is already confirmed to feature two events: "Gearin' Up," which involves battling alongside Deathclaws in the Junkyard, while "Sinkhole Solutions" will require players to survive against waves of deadly scorpions. LaCoste and Rush didn't provide any hints about what types of public events could be coming in 2026, but, given the focus on adventuring together with friends, their inclusion seems likely.
Read the full article on GameRant
This article originally appeared on GameRant and is republished here with permission.
