This guide outlines the technical process for reverting to version 1.10.163, often referred to as the "pre-Next-Gen" version. This version is widely preferred by the modding community for its stability and compatibility with major tools like the Fallout 4 Script Extender (F4SE) . A Steam version of Fallout 4.
If you encounter a mod that lists “F4SE 0.6.21” or “Game version 1.10.163” as a requirement, it is almost certainly built for this specific patch.
Fallout 4 Patch 1.10.163: Everything You Need to Know While Fallout 4 continues to receive modern updates, patch (released around 2020-2021) holds a special place in the modding community's history. It is often referred to as the "Pre-Next-Gen" final build or the "last stable version" before the 2024 Next-Gen update overhaul .
Virtual Workshops allowed players to "travel to new worlds from the comfort of your settlement with the VR Workshop," offering features such as limitless resources, huge building limits, placeable enemy spawners for custom encounters, and a selection of weather, music, and visual filters. For settlement builders and creative players, this was a welcome, if modest, addition.
, version 1.10.163 has arguably become the most important "stable" version of the game for the PC modding community.
: The Fallout 4 Script Extender (F4SE) is the backbone of advanced modding. Many critical mods that rely on specific script offsets were built for 1.10.163 and never updated for the Next-Gen version.
As one experienced modder noted: “The 1.10.163 GOG Version is the way to go now. It’s the most stable version with most mods meant for it.”
I will cite sources using the provided citation format. I'll write the article in English. Now, I'll generate the final article. Fallout 4 Patch 1.10.163: The Community’s Last Stable Stand in the Post-Next-Gen Era
Bethesda’s official patch notes for 1.10.163 (abridged):
Minor bug fixes addressed visual issues with material swaps and stability improvements. Why 1.10.163 is the "Gold Standard" for Modding
Despite newer versions like 1.10.984 (Next-Gen) or 1.11.137 (Anniversary Edition), many players choose to stay on or to 1.10.163.
Scripts that relied on memory addresses within the 1.10.163 binary no longer functioned.
As a result, a large portion of the modding community to 1.10.163 using Steam’s “Stay on this version” option (before Steam deprecated that feature for many games). Even today, many mod guides recommend downgrading to 1.10.163 for maximum compatibility, because:
The pre-Next-Gen version lacks the intrusive Creation Club marketing and menu options that many players find annoying. As one user put it, the GOG version of 1.10.163 has “no pesky CC announcements or menu options on the home screen”.
Replace the updated files in your steamapps/common/Fallout 4 folder with the old versions.
Use the command line tools via Steam console to download the specific build IDs (often referenced in community guides like those found on Reddit /r/FalloutMods ).
community, is widely considered the "Gold Standard" version for modding. While newer "Next-Gen" updates (like version 1.10.1984) exist, many veteran players deliberately "downgrade" their games to 1.10.163 to maintain compatibility with a massive library of established mods. The "Gold Standard" of Modding
Have a story about how patch 1.10.163 broke your save? Share it in the comments below (in your imagination, since this is an article).