Fallout 76 Players Express Discontent with the Caravan Update

Recent updates to Fallout 76 have sparked discontent among players, particularly regarding the new caravan missions. Many have taken to social media to voice their concerns, despite Bethesda promoting these missions as a standout feature of Season 18, titled Milepost Zero, which launched on September 3.

The caravan feature became available on September 17, two weeks after the season’s debut, following an extended maintenance period. To kick off your own caravan business, players must travel to Skyline Valley, home to the season's namesake, Milepost Zero.

Concerns About Caravan Mission Design and Rewards

While numerous players have eagerly embraced the opportunity to operate their own caravans, a significant portion of the community has expressed dissatisfaction with the implementation. Critics argue that the design of the caravan missions leaves much to be desired.

One major complaint is that running the largest caravans, which yield the best rewards, proves to be exceedingly challenging for solo players. Although Fallout 76 is designed as a multiplayer experience, many players feel that the compensation for assisting others in their caravan missions is insufficient. Early player testing revealed that escorting someone else's caravan only earns 10% of the host's rewards, leading many to opt for solo runs instead.

Bugs and Gameplay Issues Plague Caravan Missions

In addition to concerns about rewards and repetitiveness, players have highlighted bugs that mar the caravan experience. One of the most significant issues involves brahmins, which sometimes fail to locate their drop-off points or take an unacceptably long time to do so.

What should be a brief escort mission can turn into a frustrating ordeal, potentially resulting in failure if the brahmin doesn’t reach its destination before the 30-minute timer expires. Game Rant experienced this issue multiple times during testing, reproducing the bug in two out of five attempts on September 18.

Some players reported finding their brahmins dead upon fast-traveling to them after starting a caravan mission, a problem that Game Rant could not replicate. Others criticized the overall progression system for caravans, describing it as excessively grindy in relation to the rewards offered.

Bethesda has stated that caravan missions are designed to provide players with engaging activities between other Fallout 76 events, while still allowing those who wish to grind for rewards to do so. However, it remains to be seen how long this new system will hold players’ interest once the initial novelty wears off. In the meantime, Bethesda is likely to consider this ongoing player feedback in future updates and patches.