Recently, rumors circulated that Bethesda’s online game Fallout 76 might shift to a free-to-play model.
Now the studio has denied this. There is no truth to this rumor.
Fallout 76 and the Free-to-Play Rumor
What happened? Allegedly, the Australian retailer EB Games removed the physical standard versions of Fallout 76 from its inventory. There also appeared to be a shortage at Amazon. This led players to wonder whether there might possibly be a shift of the online game to the free-to-play model. Naturally, this rumor then spread like wildfire.
What does Bethesda say about this? After a buyer of the game complained on Twitter and demanded a refund, stating that Fallout 76 should go free-to-play, the development studio briefly responded on Twitter. Bethesda explained that this rumor is not true. EB Games has also since spoken up. The claim that Fallout 76 is being removed from the inventory is not correct. They continue to support the game, and it remains an active product in their lineup.
How are the players reacting? As is apparently standard in discussions surrounding Fallout 76, there are both positive and negative voices. Especially those who have purchased the game are relieved. Others, however, take the opportunity to criticize and lash out against the game.
Is a shift to free-to-play off the table?
Andreas says: The shift to a “free” model is always a double-edged sword. For this step is often associated with the assumption that developers are dissatisfied with sales figures, and the switch is a last attempt to save the title. And especially with Fallout 76, surrounded by all the negativity, the shift to free-to-play would have been fodder for critics. Disappointed players would likely have already commented, “That was to be expected.”
A transition to free-to-play doesn’t always work, either. Wildstar, for example, could not be saved by this. Other games like SWTOR, on the other hand, benefited from it. Thus, it is not easy to switch a game from a pay model, as one must take into account the negative voices from the community and the possibility of failure.
How likely is a transition to free-to-play sometime in the future? It is always possible that an online game transitions from a buy-to-play to a free-to-play model. This has been seen many times before, such as with Star Wars: The Old Republic or Shroud of the Avatar. Therefore, it is quite conceivable that Bethesda will take this step at some point.
However, it is currently clearly established that Fallout 76 will remain available for purchase. This proves that Bethesda believes in the product and will continue to support it in the foreseeable future. More updates are already planned.
