Fallout 4: Anniversary Edition was released on November 10, 2025, but its arrival isn’t smooth for all players. While it is working properly for several, if not most players, several issues are preventing some players from even launching the game, prompting a response from Bethesda.
Overall, it’s a pretty solid year for the Fallout franchise. Bethesda announced Fallout 4: Anniversary Edition a few weeks ago on October 23, Fallout 76‘s Burning Springs update launches in early December, and Fallout Season 2 (which takes viewers to New Vegas) releases in December as well. Unfortunately, the first stop on the end-of-year Fallout train isn’t without its bumps.
Why Fallout 4: Anniversary Edition Isn’t Working
- Fallout 4’s Creations Menu is kicking some players
- Quitting to the Desktop is Crashing Fallout 4
- Fallout 4: Anniversary Edition is Not Launching for Some Players
As somewhat expected, Fallout 4: Anniversary Edition is clashing with mods. Namely, the Creations Menu will kick some players when accessed, quitting to the desktop can crash the game, and overall, the game is simply not launching for some. However, it seems that disabling Fallout 4 mods will be a serviceable workaround for the time being. There are some reports of this happening to players who did not even purchase any of the Fallout 4 anniversary upgrades. While these issues are not necessarily game-breaking, not being able to enjoy the game on its anniversary can be upsetting. The irony is not lost on fans, as Redditor Actual-Damage-4216 said, in a comment on the Reddit thread above, that “breaking the game on its anniversary is peak Bethesda.”
Bethesda has issued a statement on the matter, stating that it is “actively investigating an issue affecting the delivery of Creations Club content after purchasing the Creations Bundle or Anniversary Edition. Currently, there may be a delay between completing your purchase and seeing the content marked as owned in your account.” While this may not address every issue with Fallout 4: Anniversary Edition‘s launch, it’s worth noting that some of this seems to be less of a widespread issue and more of an issue dependent upon what Fallout 4 mods are installed. Either way, Bethesda expects most issues to be resolved sooner rather than later.
In the meantime, fans can try uninstalling mods to enjoy Fallout 4 on its anniversary. Of course, there’s also plenty to look forward to. Fallout 4 may be on a bit of an island right now, but that can’t be said of Fallout Season 2 and Fallout 76. The Burning Springs update will introduce Fallout Season 2’s Ghoul as an NPC in Fallout 76‘s new map, and there are plenty of reasons to celebrate the franchise over the next few weeks.
