Bethesda is again facing backlash from Fallout 76 players, this time for the planned addition of Repair Kits that will break the developer’s promise of no pay-to-win items in the multiplayer game.
In a blog post, Bethesda revealed that it will be adding Repair Kits to Fallout 76 in the weeks following the release of Patch 8. There will be two forms for the utility items, namely the Basic Repair Kits that immediately restore an item’s condition to 100% and the Improved Repair Kits that will take them to 150%.
Players may acquire Improved Repair Kits for completing various in-game tasks, including defeating the Scorchbeast Queen. Basic Repair Kits, meanwhile, may be purchased in the Atomic Shop using Atoms, Fallout 76‘s in-game currency that may be earned through gameplay or bought by spending real-world money.
The Atomic Shop currently sells only cosmetic items, which have no effect on a character’s abilities. The addition of Basic Repair Kits to the in-game store has caused an uproar among Fallout 76 players because it adds a pay-to-win element to the multiplayer game.
It is easy to imagine that in player versus player gameplay in Fallout 76, those who used real-world money to stock up on Basic Repair Kits will have a significant advantage over those who did not choose to spend cash to buy the necessary Atoms. Players point out that the impact of Basic Repair Kits on gameplay is not the actual issue, but rather Bethesda’s decision on how to distribute the items.
The addition of the Basic Repair Kits to the Atomic Shop is contrary to previous statements made by Bethesda VP Pete Hines that the Atomic Shop will only contain cosmetic items. Hines also previously said that Fallout 76 is not a pay-to-win game, and that players will not be able to become better than others by spending money.
Fallout 76 has struggled since its launch in November last year, with various issues that include leaked personal information, a firestorm over a canvas bag, and a secret developer room that caused players to be banned. The planned Basic Repair Kits may start a pattern of gameplay-affecting items that may be purchased with real-world money, which may alienate even more of the game’s remaining players.
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