It’s been about two months since Fallout 4 was released. We can safely and comfortably say it was a hit. People are even going crazy over related merchandise, like the tie-in Nuka Cola Quantum and clothing. There’s even an active modding scene. It’s just a shame that there’s no official mod support.
Bethesda games are known for their longevity. This is due to their support of fan-made creations. Thanks to mods, the Steam Workshop and Nexus Mods keeps the titles fresh for years after their release. Even Fallout: New Vegas just received an amazing and comprehensive Autumn Leaves fan expansion. Yet, with Fallout 4 , we have no official mod tools or support. The horizon is barren. People are forced to resort to ingenuity to make things happen.
Part of this is due to the complications that are bound to come from Fallout 4 mods. Bethesda is going to make this the first entry where fan creations for the Windows PC version will eventually be playable on the Xbox One, then the PlayStation 4. Compatibility takes time. But surely, something could have been released before 2015 ended. Mod tools can be based upon the programs the developers themselves use with the game. Getting consumer-friendly tools out should have been a priority.
Especially since other Bethesda games set a certain standard. Fallout: New Vegas was released on October 19, 2010. Its Garden of Eden Creation Kit was released two days later, on October 21. Yes, the Skyrim Creation Kit took about two months to arrive after its November 11, 2011 release, but at least we heard something. Aside from saying Fallout 4 mod support is coming, even to consoles, we haven’t had any updates on when or how.
Which is only going to make things more difficult for people who have already been tinkering with the game. Depending on how things go, the official mod support may not be compatible with the creations people have already made. A lot of hard work could be going to waste. It would have been considerate if Bethesda had offered a timeline or said something, since “early 2016” doesn’t really help people desperate to make their Commonwealths more uncommon.
I suppose I’m saying that it would have been both lovely and considerate had Bethesda offered either the creation kit itself or a timeline to help us ease into 2016. We’re desperate for Fallout 4 mods even if we haven’t completed or seen all of the official content yet, and the long break between Christmas and New Year’s would have been the perfect time to start making masterpieces.