Fallout 76 PS Plus PS5 Upgrade: Sony Hid Your Free Copy
If you got Fallout 76 through PlayStation Plus Essential, you should now be able to claim the native PS5 version without buying the game again.
That entitlement went live on September 25 at 10 AM ET.
So if the PlayStation Store is still showing you a price, don't immediately assume Bethesda wants another donation. Check the version selector first, because there can be multiple Fallout 76 options and apparently one of them may contain the game you already own while another behaves as if the two of you have never met.
Now that Fallout 76 is actually running on your PS5, you may as well find out what Bethesda has been doing with all that horsepower. The Slasher has turned Appalachia into a murder investigation with considerably more corpses than warranty paperwork.
How to claim the Fallout 76 PS5 upgrade with PS Plus Essential
Use the same PlayStation account that originally claimed Fallout 76 through PS Plus Essential.
Then:
Open Fallout 76 on the PlayStation Store or through your game library.
Go to the product page.
Check the available versions using the version selector or ... menu.
Select the PS5 version.
Look for Add to Library or the free download option.
Download the PS5 client.
The version selector is the important bit.
One German player reported that Fallout 76 was still showing a purchase price after the Essential entitlement went live. They switched to another option that was also helpfully labelled Game, because apparently naming things is now considered premium functionality, and suddenly the button changed to Add to Library.
So if you still see a price, check every PS5 version available before paying anything.
Sony may have hidden your free upgrade behind another Fallout 76 listing that looks almost exactly like the Fallout 76 listing you're already staring at.
Perfectly normal shop behaviour.
Why wasn't the PS5 version available to Essential players before?
Because the native PS5 version and the PlayStation Plus Essential entitlement didn't arrive together.
The PS5 version launched on September 15, but people who originally claimed Fallout 76 through the PlayStation Plus Essential monthly games offer had to wait until September 25.
Digital purchasers, physical owners and players accessing Fallout 76 through the Extra/Premium Game Catalog already had access.
Essential owners were the odd group standing outside the nightclub holding a perfectly valid ticket while somebody inside checked a clipboard for ten days.
That wait is now over.
Do you need PlayStation Plus Extra or Premium?
No.
You do not need to upgrade from Essential to Extra or Premium just to claim the native PS5 version if Fallout 76 came from the Essential monthly-game offer.
You do still need the relevant active PlayStation Plus subscription to keep using games claimed through the monthly-games system.
So the PS5 version isn't suddenly becoming a permanently owned standalone copy independent of Plus. It's simply being added to the entitlement you already had.
Which is considerably better than buying Fallout 76 again because a storefront button looked authoritative.
Never trust a button with that much confidence.
What if you own Fallout 76 on disc?
Physical PS4 owners can also access the PS5 version.
You will need the Fallout 76 disc inserted while playing, though.
The disc has therefore completed its evolutionary journey from videogame storage medium to small plastic bouncer.
No disc, no Appalachia.
Digital owners obviously don't need to perform this ancient ritual.
Do you need to download Fallout 76 again?
Yes.
The native PS5 release is a separate client, so this isn't one of those upgrades where the existing PS4 installation wakes up one morning, stretches and becomes current-gen.
You'll need to download the PS5 version.
The native version targets 60 FPS, supports 1440p and supports VRR on compatible displays. PS5 Pro also supports 4K on compatible displays.
Bethesda previously mentioned improvements such as draw distance and shadows when discussing the current-gen versions, but later clarified that PS5 players were already seeing some of those improvements before the native client arrived.
So the important upgrades here are the actual native PS5 features, not the expectation that every tree will suddenly become visible from West Virginia to Luxembourg.
What about the €1 charge in Germany?
Bethesda says German PlayStation Plus Essential players may need to pay €1 because of local age-rating requirements.
There is already at least one report from Germany of somebody being able to add the PS5 version without paying it after switching Store options.
I wouldn't take that as proof that Bethesda's €1 rule has disappeared. It does mean the PlayStation Store may behave differently depending on the account or listing you're seeing.
Basically, if you're in Germany, expect the €1 because that's the official information.
If Sony doesn't charge it, take the euro and buy yourself approximately one third of a supermarket sandwich.
Already hunting The Slasher? The masks are scattered across Appalachia, because apparently serial murder needed collectibles. Our Slasher Masks guide has the locations, reward tiers and the bits Bethesda forgot to make remotely normal.
What if Fallout 76 still shows a price?
Don't buy it again yet.
Try this first:
Check the other Fallout 76 versions on the product page.
Make sure you're using the account that originally claimed the game.
Check that your PlayStation Plus subscription is still active.
Restart the Store or your PS5.
Go to Settings → Users and Accounts → Other → Restore Licenses.
Check Fallout 76 again.
If the PS5 version still refuses to appear after that, you've reached the point where PlayStation Support is probably more useful than repeatedly reopening the Store and hoping it develops a conscience.
The important thing is that the PS Plus Essential PS5 entitlement is now live.
So if Fallout 76 is still asking you for money, assume the licence or Store listing is being stupid before assuming you need to buy the entire bloody game again.
Fallout 76 PS5 Upgrade FAQ
Is the Fallout 76 PS5 upgrade free with PS Plus Essential?
Yes. If you originally claimed Fallout 76 through PlayStation Plus Essential, the native PS5 version should now be available without buying the game again.
Do I need PS Plus Extra or Premium?
No. Essential is enough for the upgrade if that is how you originally claimed Fallout 76.
Why is the PlayStation Store still showing a price?
Check the other Fallout 76 version options first. Some players have found the free entitlement hiding behind another PS5 listing that looks almost identical. Because apparently one Fallout 76 button was too straightforward.
Do I need to download Fallout 76 again?
Yes. The native PS5 version is a separate client and requires a new download.
What if I own Fallout 76 on disc?
You can access the PS5 version, but the PS4 disc must remain inserted while you play.
What should I do if the free PS5 version still does not appear?
Make sure you are using the correct PSN account, confirm your PS Plus subscription is active, check all available game versions, then restore licences under Settings → Users and Accounts → Other → Restore Licenses.
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