With the beta for Fallout 76 going live for PS4 and PC while also returning for Xbox One, Bethesda are inching ever closer to the game’s full release. It’s still crazy to think that it’s pursuing an online-only experience, that too with copious post-launch support. However, the company seems to be handling the monetization aspect fairly well, avoiding loot crates or any pay-to-win elements while showering players with currency.
Speaking to GameSpot at PAX AUS, Bethesda SVP of marketing Pete Hines reiterated that players could earn Atoms in game, which could be used to purchase cosmetics. Those same Atoms can be purchased with real money, but you’re not pushed into purchasing them.
“If you don’t want to spend money in the Atomic shop for cosmetic stuff you don’t have to,” Hines said. “We give you a sh*tload of Atoms just for playing the game. Folks that want to spend money on whatever the hell it is because they don’t have enough Atoms, they can, but it’s not, ‘I’m now better playing against other players because I spent money.’ It’s not pay-to-win. And it’s not loot crates.”
While Hines notes Bethesda’s desire to be on the “right side of the line” when it comes to microtransactions in games, he admits that the line can be “pretty ambiguous” at times. Nevertheless, Bethesda wants to follow trends and incorporate feedback from players rather than just going with cash-grabs. The game’s free DLC packs that will arrive after launch are further evidence of this stance. Hines hopes that the free content will prove to players that Bethesda doesn’t want to exploit them.
Fallout 76 is out on November 14th for Xbox One, PS4, and PC.
