When Bethesda released the "Next-Gen" and subsequent "Anniversary" updates, it updated the game’s executable file. This compilation change broke the Fallout 4 Script Extender (F4SE) and every mod depending on it.

If your Steam client automatically updated your game, you can legally fetch the older 1.10.163 files directly from Steam's official manifest servers for free. Method 1: The Steam Console Approach (Most Reliable)

Bethesda just dropped a quiet but welcome maintenance patch for Fallout 4 (update 1.10.163 on PC, ~1.10.110 on consoles). No new paid content — just stability and under-the-hood improvements.

The release of the Next-Gen patches brought unintended consequences to the PC platform, including physics stutters when loading face gen data, broken interface configurations, and general unplayability with older core community fixes. Reverting to version 1.10.163 acts as a definitive fix for these issues.

In essence, 1.10.163 represents the final version of the original engine before Bethesda introduced sweeping changes in April 2024 and subsequent Anniversary Editions. For this reason, it has become a gold standard within the modding community.

It has been tested by the community for years, resulting in fewer random crashes.

: The massive, DLC-sized total conversion mod Fallout: London natively relies on the 1.10.163 framework to run efficiently.