Bethesda Clarifies Confusion Over Performance and Quality Modes

Following an uproar among Xbox series console players, Bethesda has clarified the confusion between the new Performance and Quality modes brought about by the next-gen update for Fallout 4.

The Fallout 4 next-gen update was finally released on Thursday, April 25, after a four-month delay announced in December. In addition to introducing several brand new quests and Power Armors, the update introduced two new graphics-related features, namely Performance and Quality modes.

According to the official patch notes for the update, the Performance mode targets a frame rate of 60 frames per second (FPS) at 4 K resolution and standard settings. On the other hand, the Quality Mode targets a higher resolution—30 FPS at 4 K and ultra settings.

To toggle between modes, a player must turn the Performance mode off to switch to Quality mode and vice versa.

When the update was released, however, Xbox users quickly pointed out a bug that keeps the game from switching to Quality mode even when Performance mode is turned off. This means that the game is stuck at 60 FPS no matter the image quality selected, which could result in issues in actual performance.

Other players who have been able to experience Quality mode attest to the improvement in visuals, making this bug a big letdown for Xbox console players who are particular about their game’s imagery when playing.

In response, Bethesda posted a new tweet that now says both modes target 60 FPS, but that Performance mode is “more aggressive” in tweaking necessary settings to maintain the frame rate.

While this issue does not exist for PlayStation 5 owners, many of these players have also found that they are unable to download the update without paying an additional $20. These players have downloaded Fallout 4 as part of their PlayStation Plus Extra, Essential, and Collection subscriptions and bought the game through the PlayStation 5 catalog.

Bethesda responded to these issues, assuring fans that the update will be available for PlayStation Plus Extra members. However, the post said nothing about extending the update to the other subscriber groups.