Fallout 76 players upset again over Bethesda’s broken no pay-to-win promise

By Aaron Mamiit April 6, 2019

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.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Contributor

Aaron received a NES and a copy of Super Mario Bros. for Christmas when he was 4 years old, and he has been fascinated with…

Gaming

Fallout 76 Patch 11 will make it easier for new players to survive the Wasteland

fallout 76 patch 11 new players nuclear winter

The next patch for Fallout 76, which is expected to roll out in mid-July, will include updates to make it easier for new and low-level characters to survive the Wasteland.

In an Inside the Vault blog post, Bethesda previewed the contents of Patch 11. One of the highlights is the planned adjustments for a more gradual introduction of mechanics and challenges to players who are just starting out with the game.

Gaming

Fallout 76 to add NPCs and a battle royale mode called Nuclear Wasteland

fallout 76 announced fallout76

At the Bethesda E3 2019 Showcase, Todd Howard took to the stage and admitted Fallout 76’s launch had some serious issues. In an effort to revive player faith in the game, Howard announced it would be getting a free Wastelanders update that would not only add human NPCs, but a new main quest, choices and consequences, and new weapons and gear to the game.

Bethesda explained, “This is a long term story we’re telling. Year one was about the vault doors opening and all of you settling the wasteland. Year two is about people coming back to reclaim it. Like previous Fallout games, these characters have their own stories and goals. It’s up to you to decide how to interact with them and live with those consequences.”

Gaming

Save $150 on new Xbox One X bundle with 3 games including Fallout 76

Xbox One X bundle Fallout 76 Sunset Overdrive Titanfall 2

Whether you have one of the less-powerful Xbox One models or don’t have a version of Microsoft’s latest home console at all, there’s a fresh opportunity for you to upgrade to the Xbox One X and snatch up a handful of games at the same time. Consumer electronics retailer Altatac has cut the price on a 1TB Xbox One X bundle that comes with Fallout 76, Sunset Overdrive, and Titanfall 2, all for $397. This is a pretty stout discount on a bundle that would cost $550 based on the individual pieces.

1TB Xbox One X
The Xbox One X enhances Microsoft’s current-gen hardware with an improved processor and more GPU power. The console also has increased memory to upgrade the performance and visuals of various games on the console. Many of the titles can even achieve 4K thanks to post-launch patches that allow them to take advantage of the console’s better specs.
Fallout 76
Although the reception hasn’t been the greatest, Fallout 76 is still an intriguing online-only entry in Bethesda’s post-apocalyptic first-person RPG series. Survival is the name of the game as players step out of vault 76 to pave their own way across a massive map filled with resources, creatures, and other real players.
Sunset Overdrive
It may have been forgotten amid the onslaught of new releases over the last couple years, but Sunset Overdrive is an impressive console exclusive for Xbox One from Insomniac Games, the team behind Ratchet & Clank. The game tosses players into an open-world sandbox with a collection of unique weapons and outrageous enemies to take down while you zip line, grind, and wall-run from battle to battle.
Titanfall 2
Respawn Entertainment is currently riding the wave that is Apex Legends, the battle royale that took the gaming world by storm earlier this year. Titanfall 2, however, paved the way for the devs and delivered one of the best first-person shooter campaigns around. The PvP is pretty solid as well. The sequel may be far out due to the studio’s focus on Jedi: Fallen Order, but you owe it to yourself to give this one a run if you’ve never played it.