Following the turbulent releases of the Next-Gen update (2024) and the Anniversary Edition (2025), this specific version string—1.10.163—has become the gold standard for players desiring a stable, heavily modified gameplay experience. This deep dive explores what the patch originally accomplished, why it remains the most sought-after version of the game, and how to safely return your game to it. What Was Fallout 4 Patch 1.10.163?
It kept the game supported and provided new official content for players who prefer the plug-and-play nature of the Creation Club.
Pre-1.10.163, you were capped at 255 total plugins (.esp + .esm) and roughly 4096 light plugins (.esl). The patch quietly . That’s right— 512 master/plugin files before the game starts throwing a tantrum.
Look at the version number in the of the screen.
As the gaming landscape continues to evolve, it's clear that Fallout 4 patch 1.10.163 will remain an important milestone in the game's development. Whether you're a seasoned player or new to the world of Fallout, this patch is definitely worth exploring.
To understand why patch 1.10.163 is so famous, you must understand the platform split caused by the (versions 1.10.984 and later). Feature / Aspect Old-Gen (Patch 1.10.163) Next-Gen Update (1.10.984+) F4SE Stability Complete, unbroken legacy compatibility. Frequent breaks caused by subsequent hotfixes. Interface Apps Native support for the Pip-Boy mobile companion app. Functionality completely broken or disabled. Texture Format Standard BA2 archive formats. Upgraded archive versions that reject older game builds. Ultra-wide Display Requires custom community UI fixes. Native 21:9 and 32:9 support (with some UI bugs). Distribution Ease Native baseline for the GOG.com DRM-free version.
Following the release of the "Next-Gen" update (version and higher), many players chose to downgrade their game back to 1.10.163. There are three primary reasons:
The "Pre-Next Gen" version is essential to fix bugs Bethesda never did.
: Included technical support for late-2019 CC releases, such as the Capital Wasteland Mercenaries CR-74L Combat Rifle Fallout Wiki General Bug Fixes
While Bethesda didn't release a massive changelog at the time, the update primarily focused on:
The VR workshops provided limitless resources and huge building limits, alongside 40 new workshop items.
This was the headline addition, allowing players to travel to new VR worlds like Grid World , Atomic Crater , and the Capital Wasteland’s GNR Plaza from any settlement.
1.10.163 lacks the free Creation Club content (Enclave Remnants, Makeshift Weapon Pack) included in the newer update.