Fallout 76 fans are unhappy that Bethesda is adding 'pay-to-win' items

Fallout 76 players have hit back at Bethesda for a new Repair Kit feature that some believe goes against Bethesda's assurances that the game would not include play-to-win items.

Scheduled to release in the weeks following Patch 8, there will be two types of Repair Kits available: Basic and Improved. According to Bethesda, Improved Repair Kits "are rare items that [Bethesda] plan to award to you for free as you take on various types of in-game content", while Basic Repair Kits "will be unlockable in the Atomic Shop using Atoms you’ve purchased or those you’ve earned for free by completing in-game challenges". And therein lies the issue.

In a long, detailed thread on Reddit (thanks, Eurogamer), fans are challenging the decision to have the items available in the Atomic Shop, the same vendor in which all purchasable cosmetic items are housed. They maintain that being able to purchase the ability to repair on the fly will make it easier to survive encounters than players without the funds to buy the kits and set a worrying precedent.

"We read tons of feedback and suggestions from the Fallout 76 community, and Repair Kits were a popular request that we wanted to get into players’ hands," Bethesda said when introducing the kits. "We also felt we could try out something new with these, both in-game and in the Atomic Shop. As we look to the future, we’re exploring ways we can bring other community-driven ideas to the game as well, such as refrigerators for C.A.M.P.s, ammo and food converters, and even the ability to send scrap to your stash without having to head home. 

"Repair Kits are our first attempt at a utility item like this, and we plan to make adjustments based on your feedback, so we hope you’ll share your thoughts with us when they go live later this month."

"I have no issues with [the kits] availability to players," said r/OrphanFeast87. "I’m just concerned over the slippery slope effect regarding potential paid items that DO effect gameplay directly; something Bethesda said they wouldn’t do. I’d be satisfied with the ability to make atoms a little more easily as a trade off."

"I don't mind that someone who doesn't have a lot of time to play the game, but can contribute money to help the game development is able to get some convenience items to make their short play time more enjoyable. As long as it's reasonable and only a convenience and not a major advantage," added r/Psychedelic_Samurai. "What I do have a problem with in the case of repair kits as Atoms only, is that it is a band aid solution to horrible weapon durability in the game, and incentivizes them to keep it in this awful state.

"Couple that with caps becoming less useful in the late game, there really should be some useful consumables they can buy. This would give high level players things to spend caps on, and a reason to trade and contribute to a player economy."

"I strongly dislike the idea of selling anything in the Atom shop that affects gameplay directly," wrote r/Endus. "These repair kits qualify. That kind of business model makes sense for a free-to-play game that needs to monetise SOMETHING, but I paid full price up front for Fallout 76. As did many others. With the promise that future content would be free. This is future content. That isn't free. That's a broken promise, and that matters, if this goes live as expected."

Latest in Fallout
Male and Female Vault Dweller holding guns and cresting a hill with ruined city in background
The New Vegas remake of the Fallout 3 that never was just got its first demo, not to be confused with the straight-up remake of the cancelled Fallout 3 or, indeed, Fallout 3
Lucy smiling while using her pip boy
Ella Purnell dreads being typecast for her 'poop finger' in Fallout: 'This finger is the bane of my life'
Fallout 76 - a player in a vault suit gives a thumbs up
Fallout 76's former project lead says it's still his favourite game he worked on, but the initial reception was demoralising: 'I got yelled at in an Apple Store, I'll never forget'
Mortimer Goth swanning around inside a New Vegas casino built inside the Sims 2
A Fallout: New Vegas fan is so fed up waiting for a remake he's decided to do it himself. The twist? He's making it in the Sims 2
Maybe I'll finally stop getting lost in Fallout: New Vegas' Bison Steve Hotel thanks to this new minimap mod
A jumpsuit-clad Lucy, played by Ella Purnell, emerges from a vault in the Fallout TV series.
Ella Purnell and Walton Goggins sure are excited for everyone to see Fallout season 2: 'No one's going to be able to predict what happens. There's some big twists this time around'
Latest in News
assassin's creed shadow naoe
We asked two parkour athletes to rate the realism of Assassin's Creed's acrobatics, and a surprising 'crime against parkour' might actually be one of the most realistic things they saw
Mechs fight on the outside of a spaceship
MechWarrior 5: Clans is getting DLC with playable Elementals and a fight on the outside of a spaceship
Aloy - Horizon
'I feel worried about this art form:' Unsurprisingly, the real Aloy from Horizon isn't a fan of AI Aloy
Crying laughing emoji with disturbing realistic elements for REPO
REPO's first update will add a new map and a 'duck bucket' so we can finally give that pesky quacker a time out
Man facing camera
The Day Before studio reportedly sues Russian website for calling infamous disaster-game a 'scam'
Will Poulter holding a CD ROM
'What are most games about? Killing': Black Mirror Season 7 includes a follow-up to 2018 interactive film Bandersnatch