Public Test Server

The Public Test Server (PTS) is a feature in Fallout 76 that allows users to test upcoming content for the game.

History
The server was first used as a Private Test Server during the development of the Wastelanders update, which access only being available to selected users, which had to sign a non-disclosure agreement.

It was turned into a publicly accessible server for subsequent updates, although only players using a computer can join. Players who are encouraged to report issues encountered during testing so that they may be patched before the content's official release.

Rewards
In an attempt to encourage participation in playtesting, Bethesda offers an incentive in the way of a PTS pennant reward that one can display with or without a frame at their C.A.M.P. in the live game. In order to obtain a PTS pennants, the player must fulfill a certain number of activities, such as participating for a certain number of days, completing multiplayer Daily Ops sessions, or filling a certain percentage of their shelter budget.

Behind the scenes
Jeff Gardiner and Mark Tucker referred to the Public Test Server as the "turning point" for Fallout 76, as it allowed developers to track player performance, crashes, and other issues that could not be as easily diagnosed without the use of larger player populations, acting in ways that the Quality Assurance testers could not find, ultimately allowing the team to address and fix critical bugs that would have not been found without it.