Game

Fallout 76

Developer/Publisher: Bethesda
Platforms: PS4, One, Win
Genre: Action
Release date: Sunday 18th November 2018

Developer Dishonesty

Gamers on social media declared that the developers and/or publishers engaged in the anti-consumer practice of promoting and launching this game with full knowledge that it was in an incomplete and/or unfit state. This can include the game launching with missing features that were promoted in pre-launch marketing, or featuring game-breaking bugs that cripple the user's ability to play the game. Gamers on social media declared that in this situation, the developers and/or publishers knowingly lied to their paying customers in their pre-launch marketing and treated them as unpaid testers post-launch View more games with this feature

Bugs

This title launched with severe bugs that crippled the user's ability to play the game. These bugs could cause the game to crash, lose player progression or even potentially harm the system on which the game is being played View more games with this feature

Pay to Win

This game has gameplay-effecting items that can be acquired with money View more games with this feature

Includes Macrotransactions

This game features an internal shop that allows users to spend money on items costing above $10, that cannot be considered micro-transactions View more games with this feature

Time-Limited Virtual Items

Virtual items which are only purchasable for a limited time, encouraging users to spend money before the items are no longer available View more games with this feature

Includes Microtransactions

This game features an internal shop that allows users to spend money on items costing below $10 View more games with this feature

Pre-order Bonuses

This game offers bonus content to incentify players to pre-order the title before its release date. This means that if players wish to gain access to this content, they must forgo the ability to read reviews and bug reports in order to check the quality of the product before they purchase. Once launched, the pre-order bonuses are often unobtainable, meaning even though players will pay the same price, they will miss out on the content altogether. View more games with this feature

Suitable for Mature Gamers

This game may contain content such as intense and/or realistic portrayals of violence, strong sexual themes, and frequent use of strong language View more games with this feature

Purchasable Cosmetic Items

This game features an internal shop with optional cosmetic items than do not effect gameplay. These may include skins, shaders, aesthetic items such as pets or mounts View more games with this feature

Online Multiplayer

This game features an online multiplayer mode in which more than one person can play in the same game environment at the same time, online over the internet View more games with this feature

Fallout 76 is an online action role-playing game developed by Bethesda Game Studios and published by Bethesda Softworks. Released for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One on November 14, 2018, it is an instalment in the Fallout series and a prequel to previous entries. Fallout 76 is Bethesda Game Studios’s first multiplayer game; players explore the open world, which has been torn apart by nuclear war, with others. Bethesda developed the game using a modified version of its Creation Engine, which allowed the accommodation of multiplayer gameplay and a more detailed game world than in previous games.

Fallout 76 was released to generally mixed reviews, with criticism for the game’s numerous technical issues, overall design, lack of gameplay purpose, and initial absence of human non-playable characters. The game was the subject of several controversies, chiefly in regards to the quality of physical content. A number of Bethesda’s responses and attempts to provide ongoing support related to Fallout 76 in the months following its launch were also met with criticism. The game sold 1.4 million copies by the end of 2018.

Post-launch a new ‘utility’ section was added to the internal shop. This section includes repair kits, scavenger collectrons and coolers that many players have deemed to be ‘pay to win’. Some features of the Fallout 1st premium subscription service have also upset players. Such as a Survival Tent which acts as a second base you can place anywhere. That includes a stash, sleeping bag and cooking station. It means you can have two functional CAMPs and fast travel points. It also includes another contentious item, the Scrapbox. This stores all your crafting resources and, critically, has unlimited storage, which is frustrating for everyone else struggling with a full stash.

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