The Brotherhood of Steel storyline and content was introduced to the game in late 2020 with the Steel Dawn update. Intended as a 2-part major plot thread, the conclusion is coming with the Steel Reign update, that will add new locations, weapons, and power armor. In addition, Vault Dwellers will be able to explore The Pitt in 2022!
What Came Before
Released last November 24, 2020, Steel Dawn brought the Brotherhood of Steel, one of the most recognizable factions in the Fallout universe, back to the limelight. The Brotherhood had travelled to the area of Appalachia where Fallout 76 is mainly centered on after months on foot. The in-game plot is that the First Expeditionary Force was sent at the behest of the Brotherhood of Steel’s High Elder Roger Maxson. Led by the Brotherhood Paladin Leila Rahmani, the goal was to re-establish their organization’s presence in the territory after a long absence. The Vault Dwellers of Appalachia (represented by the players) interacted with the Brotherhood of Steel’s return either to assist or to disrupt the accomplishment of the latter’s goals. With the Steel Dawn update, quests and side missions related to the Brotherhood of Steel’s goals were added. Moreover, random encounters with both upstanding and unscrupulous members of the Brotherhood (such as Brotherhood Bandits) were added, as well as their interactions with other factions and creatures in the Appalachian wastelands, particularly the wandering Super Mutants. The landscape was also updated, most notably with the change of the familiar ATLAS Observatory changed to serve as the First Expeditionary Force’s base, with the Brotherhood renaming it to Fort Atlas.
What’s Coming
In the upcoming Steel Reign update for Fallout 76, the burgeoning foothold that the Brotherhood of Steel has made on Appalachia is going to be threatened. As tensions within the organization and the outside forces heighten, the Vault Dwellers will be influencing the future of whether the Brotherhood will stay or go. Steel Reign is also slated to introduce new legendary crafting modules and legendary power armor, as well as cosmetic additions to wearable equipment and C.A.M.P. amenities.
On July 7th who will you side with in the new Steel Reign Update for #Fallout76? https://t.co/htgolcseka pic.twitter.com/X9WK3EGo8I — Fallout (@Fallout) June 13, 2021 Coinciding with the Steel Reign update, the game will have a lead-in event called the Coming Storm which starts on June 15. In it, players can participate and fulfill challenges to take over workshops. As per the Bethesda’s official Fallout 76 website: During the Coming Storm event, Vault Dwellers can acquire a free Brotherhood of Steel Backpack skin (as well as a small backpack plan) for free. This Brotherhood of Steel Backpack has to be equipped in order to get rewards during the event. During the week of the event, Fallout 76 will be available for free with no subscription through platforms such as Steam until June 16.
Return to The Pitt
In addition to the Steel Reign update, Bethesda also unveiled plans for the Expeditions: The Pitt expansion that brings the game further away from West Virginia. In this upcoming expansion, players will be able to explore The Pitt. Introduced as a DLC of Fallout 3, The Pitt was formerly the city of Pittsburgh before the nuclear devastation. It is mainly a Raider controlled area and a Slavers’ haven, but it is also one of the more sustainable locations, thanks to the trade and the industrial benefits of its large steel mill production. However, there will be many differences, given the point in the Fallout timeline that the current game is set in. Although details are sparse about Expeditions: The Pitt, the title implies that there will be more such Expeditions-style expansions in the future, which will likely add more familiar areas from the Fallout lore. Could this mean a return to New Vegas or the NCR out in the West Coast? It would be interesting, as Fallout 76 is set many years prior to the events of the earlier Fallout installments (particularly Fallout 1 through 3). Fallout 76 is available on Windows PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. The Steel Reign update is scheduled for release on July 7, 2021. Expeditions: The Pitt expansion is currently scheduled for a 2022 release.
