The Fallout gameplay experience that fans have wanted for years is almost upon us. At least that's what Bethesda is hoping to achieve with Fallout 76. It's a fully-multiplayer apocalyptic RPG where players can their fellow vault dwellers in the massive open-world wasteland, taking on quests, Super mutants, and more. It sounds very promising on its own, and with the details already confirmed by the devs, there are plenty of reasons to be hopeful.

That said, with recent online-only titles facing their own personal struggles (some more than others), there's an unsurprising initial hesitation. In addition, concerns of reduced depth, minimalized story elements, and even questions of how multiplayer hurts the series' very identity, considering much of is so tied into being a "lone survivor."

Nevertheless, with an beta in October and a November release date, there's still time for fans to get a clearer picture of what Fallout 76 will ultimately look like. For now, it's time to go through the rumor mill, list off which ones have been confirmed, and go through the ones that hopefully won't come to fruition.

This is an ambitious title, so there are plenty of features that could lead to a disappointing overall experience. Then again, if developer Bethesda Games Studio is able to make this transition to online smoother than Elder Scrolls Online, we'll have a game worthy enough to keep players logging in for years to come.

Here are Fallout 76: 10 Rumors Confirmed To Be True (And 10 We Hope Aren't).

Confirmed: No NPCs

There won't be any NPC's in the entirety of Fallout 76. Bethesda has instead chosen to eliminate any in-game NPCs in favor of filling the world with only real players.

If you see anyone out in the wasteland, it will be a real player.

Quest-giving is going to be quite different previous titles. Detailed by the site PCGamesN, you will receive quests through holotapes, notes, and terminals.

A deal-breaking revelation for some players, this design choice places 76 even further away from other FO titles. Should Bethesda have stuck with the standard NPC system? It's up to the fans to decide.

Hopefully not: Simplified combat

An immediate thought that came to fans' minds upon this game's reveal was how this much-beloved feature could possibly make it into combat. Game director Todd Howard detailed the "real-time" nature of 76's version of V.A.T.S. Instead of slowing-down time, the system will serve more as an aim-assist. Players will still be able to target specific body parts, but it won't be the slow-mo version players .

This fact further reinforces the concern of over-simplified combat that no longer feels RPG-like. Without a true version of V.A.T.S., it then starts to just look like a first-person shooter. An entertaining shooter, granted, but something decidedly more shallow than previous installments.

While the smoothness of gunplay is satisfying to see, the lost strategic element is disappointing.

Confirmed: You CAN play solo

While co-op is highly encouraged, you can trek through the wasteland as a lone wolf. Quest systems and base-building are still just as available to you as any player faction. Although it's plausible that specific missions may be near-impossible without multiple players, no content is blocked off from any individual vault dweller.

That said, in order for players to get the most out of the game, you will likely need to do some socializing.

Player-made factions are, from the sounds of it, readily available to at all times, so you're free to go solo or grab some friends. Any main quest is designed for any player count to take it on, even if it's the power of one. However, Fallout 76 really isn't meant to be a solo venture.

Hopefully not: Abandoned story mode

With seemingly all of the proverbial development eggs in the multiplayer basket, it's all too easy to grow a bit worried about the lack of campaign discussion. Trailers and footage have established Vault 76 as the first vault (making this a prequel), but little else. Who is your player? Why do you go out into the wasteland? Not much has been brought up, and it's easy to get anxious.

After all, other strictly-multiplayer titles rarely even bother with an impressive central storyline. Developers end up deg these titles as an outlet for players to tell their own stories, rather than offering up a story of their own.

Considering how story-driven Bethesda titles are, it'd be unfortunate if this is true. It would reduce a lot of the game's value, especially for those who don't have several friends to play with.

Confirmed: No offline play

Since FO76's major appeal comes from the online component, there was an immediate follow-up question: can it be played offline? Todd Howard answered this question with a definitive "you will not."

In Geoff Keighley's interview, Howard explained that even if you are solo-ing through the game, you will still see other players roaming around.

Surely anyone with a somewhat unreliable internet connection just sighed heavily.

With no actual NPC's in the game (more on that later) and all of the activities being based around online play, offline mode is not on the horizon. Even those who hope that they'll add in the mode post-launch are out of luck as this game's lack of non-online features make the game sound unplayable without a network connection. Only time will tell if this design option will come back to haunt Bethesda.

Hopefully not: Weak content at launch

A major point that serves both as positive and a potential negative is the labeling of Fallout 76 as a "service" by game director Todd Howard. In that same E3 interview, Howard stated that the launch day goal for the game is to establish a strong foundation. In of recent online-only projects, this statement isn't exactly original.

Games like Sea of Thieves and Star Wars Battlefront II both had this same "build on the foundation" mentality. While adding to a complete experience isn't a bad thing, it can be a PR selling point used to cover up an unfinished product. SoT had plenty to do, but gameplay was very shallow and the story was minimal. BF2 was hampered by micro sanctions and reduced content.

There will likely be plenty of content in 76, but its quality is no guarantee.

Confirmed: Player mutation

Plenty of mutants infest the wasteland, and you may end up being one of them. Courtesy of a Gamespot interview that dug deeper into the game's Perks system and mutations, players will mutate as playtime extends.

These mutations open up opportunities for players to utilize mutation-specific skills that would've otherwise not been available.

If you're someone who doesn't want to deal with these internal and external effects of mutation, you can cure all mutations. Internally, you'll get Perks that offer a positive and negative effect. Externally, being subjected to a substantial amount of radiation could lead to some nightmare fuel for any player unlucky enough to get a close look at your character.

The gameplay differences sound relatively minor, but they could end up being the edge you need in closely-contested battles.

Hopefully not: Microtransaction-heavy systems

As was discussed in the "Lack of content" section on this list, Fallout 76's content quality isn't a certainty. Something that is a certainty, though, is the presence of microtransactions.

They are in the game but will be based purely on cosmetics.

According to a statement made by Chris Mayer, the Development Director at Bethesda, these microtransactions will not affect gameplay. Perk cards and player progression (as far as we know) is not available for purchase.

Mayer discussed how the company plans on utilizing income brought on from microtransactions to improve the game and its servers. Yet, it's still unclear how these payment services will work or how prominently they will be featured. If they're more substantial than d, it's doubtful Bethesda would want to promote that.

Here's hoping Bethesda does microtransactions correctly and avoids turning to the dark/greedy side.

Confirmed: Player-player nuclear warfare

Player griefing is a staple of online games, but Fallout 76 has raised the bar tremendously. While you'll always have to be on the lookout for fellow players sniping you from the distance, there are far more destructive methods of wiping out fellow players. Once you've progressed enough and you discover the right spots, you'll be able to send out full-blown nukes.

This will lead to the blast zone hit by the bomb being completely destroyed beyond recognition. You can then go to the affected area and look for rare loot available in the wreckage. However, there will be threatening enemies in the area created by the blast that you must fight off.

It remains to be seen if you can protect your base or what recovery methods are available. If you can, avoid making too many resourceful enemies.

Hopefully not: Online requirement

For both Xbox and PlayStation players, paying for the ability to play online is nothing new. Although hips can be pricey, they allow gamers to experience every aspect of games with both single-player and multiplayer elements. However, if your ability to play a game hinders entirely on whether you have an active hip, that could lead to a significant hit in sales.

Though still unconfirmed, Fallout 76 may not be available to those without a PS+ or Xbox Live .

The issues here are of the exclusionary variety. Many players wouldn't be able to play the game without paying a mandatory initial fee (beyond the initial $60 price of the game). Many of these players likely would end up skipping the game in favor of spending even more money than they typically have to.