Fallout 76 is getting backpacks and a new faction soon

If you're tired of cramming every bullet, tool and piece of junk you find in Fallout 76 into your impressively spacious pockets, you might be in the market for a backpack. Unfortunately, the only ones you'll find are attached to specific outfits and they're purely decorative. Like glasses with no lenses. But that's changing in May.

The next Wild Appalachia update, Ever Upwards, introduces a new faction, the Pioneer Scouts. You'll never actually see them, of course, because everyone in West Virginia is hiding just out of sight, but you'll be able to join them anyway, doing activities that will earn you badges and new ranks. Becoming a Possum shows you're really prepared for the wilderness, and you'll be rewarded with your very own functional backpack.

It sounds like there's quite a bit of work to do to get something pretty mundane, but the backpacks are more than just inventory expansions. They're customisable, so you can pick a style and mod it with even more functionality. If you carry lots of perishables, for instance, you might want to strap a refrigerator on there, keeping everything cool and fresh.

Outward recently gave me a new appreciation for backpacks. It's got the best bags. Judging by the concept art Bethesda has released, Fallout 76's backpacks look pretty nifty, as well. Not all of the concepts made it into the game, unfortunately, but the screenshot above confirms that we'll at least be able to stick a wooden box to our back.

Backpacks aren't the only thing you can get from joining the Pioneer Scouts. Show off your cooking, swimming and other survival skills and you'll be able to hand in your badges for themed loot and improvements to your camp. First you'll need to join them, which you can do by finding one of their posters at train stations.

Scouts and backpacks will arrive with patch 9 on May 7, but you might also want to pop into the game before that. This weekend, survivors will get double XP, starting today at 12 pm EDT. It'll be available in both modes until 6 am on Monday.

Fraser is the UK online editor and has actually met The Internet in person. With over a decade of experience, he's been around the block a few times, serving as a freelancer, news editor and prolific reviewer. Strategy games have been a 30-year-long obsession, from tiny RTSs to sprawling political sims, and he never turns down the chance to rave about Total War or Crusader Kings. He's also been known to set up shop in the latest MMO and likes to wind down with an endlessly deep, systemic RPG. These days, when he's not editing, he can usually be found writing features that are 1,000 words too long or talking about his dog.