Fallout 4 Far Harbor DLC launches at midnight – how to get started

How to access, download, install and kick off Fallout 4's first major story expansion.

Fallout 4 Far Harbor DLC launches at midnight – how to get started
Fallout 4 DLC has been pretty decent so far but things really kick off tonight.

While Automatron had some great story content, its main purpose was introducing the new robot companion system. Meanwhile, Wasteland Workshop was basically fluff – fun fluff, sure, and fantastic for settlement builders, but inessential.

Far Harbor is a lot more than that. Set on the largest landmass ever introduced in a Bethesda DLC (bigger than the Shivering Isles in Oblivion), Far Harbor is a story-driven adventure of tension between synths and humans, kicked off as part of a new Nick Valentine investigation. We're getting a slight Lovecraft scent from it, too.

Like the past two DLC packs, Far Harbor is expected to launch at midnight on its release day – May 19. That's only a few hours away in New Zealand, and a few more for Australia; the great roll out is about to start.

The DLC won't download automatically even if you have the Fallout 4 Season Pass – but when midnight rolls around in your territory, you'll be able to grab the DLC directly from Steam, the PSN or Xbox Live. Here's how:

Make sure you have the most recent patch.
Find the DLC. On Steam and Xbox Live, check out the Fallout 4 store page. On PSN, check the new release section of the DLC menu. Purchase if necessary, and begin the download.
Once installed, fire up Fallout 4 and check the “add-ons” section of the main menu. If Far Harbor is not listed, try restarting your system and checking your connection.

When you get in game with the DLC installed, check your quest journal for details on how to begin the quest. You'll need to have progressed as far as Diamond City and met Nick Valentine to kick things off.