The release of Fallout 76 is approaching, and there is still a lot of skepticism surrounding the online game. The situation is somewhat reminiscent of the announcement of the MMORPG The Elder Scrolls Online. However, with Fallout 76, it might be even harder to silence the critics, believes our author Andreas Bertits.
Since the announcement, Fallout 76 has been criticized for being an online game. The same happened with The Elder Scrolls Online. In this article, we will look at what bothers the critics about Fallout 76 and what Bethesda can still do to appease them.
An online game with a tough stance
What’s the problem? Fallout 76 is going to be a multiplayer online game – that’s basically the core of the whole problem.
Especially the core fans of the Fallout series reject this. They desire a classic single-player RPG, because, except for Fallout Tactics, all games in the series were like that.
There is a fear that Fallout 76:
- neglects the story
- offers no interesting quests
- would become boring without NPCs
- would devolve into PvP brawling
- dilutes the identity of the “Fallout” brand
What has made Fallout so far? The series has been characterized by some interesting approaches that players particularly appreciated.
- the post-apocalyptic world with a “twist” – an alternate Earth after a nuclear war, yet inspired by the 1950s
- the feeling of being the lone wanderer in a world full of mutants and gangs
- exciting quests with interesting NPCs
- the rise from nobody to a hero whose deeds have a significant impact on the wasteland
Multiplayer makes fans angry
What is Fallout 76? Fallout 76 aims to bring multiplayer into the game. However, the developers repeatedly refer to it as Fallout 4 with multiplayer. According to early previews, that’s not too far from reality.
You still stumble out of a bunker and explore the post-apocalyptic wasteland. You fight mutants, but also other players. It is possible to ally with the 24 players per server or go to war against them. However, there are no quests in the traditional sense, and no NPCs with whom you can have dialogues.
Nevertheless, you follow a main story that leads you across the land.
Some players are extremely skeptical: The fact that there are no NPCs or dialogues, and the potential for PvP everywhere, especially leads the core fans of Fallout to respond rather negatively.
They expected something different and, even after many previews, cannot see how Fallout 76 can be a “true” Fallout. Consequently, there is heavy criticism of Bethesda’s new online game.
It was the same with The Elder Scrolls in 2012: When Bethesda/Zenimax announced The Elder Scrolls Online as an MMORPG in 2012, fans of the fantasy RPG series also took to the barricades. MMORPGs really play differently than single-player RPGs, especially regarding quests, decisions, and consequences.
Players feared that The Elder Scrolls would become a grinding game, where the story was just decorative. Many did not want to encounter hopping players in colorful costumes while trying to save the world.
They preferred The Elder Scrolls 6.
So is it with The Elder Scrolls today: However, The Elder Scrolls Online has now become a successful online game.
Many fans of the series have given the title a chance, and Zenimax has also reached players who otherwise had nothing to do with The Elder Scrolls. Especially on PS4 and Xbox One, The Elder Scrolls Online has achieved its goals.
TESO is currently doing very well.
What must Fallout 76 do to convince critics?
That’s why it’s harder for Bethesda with Fallout 76 than with TESO: The situation surrounding Fallout 76 is a little more complicated than with The Elder Scrolls Online for several reasons:
- the biggest sticking point is the fact that Fallout 76 does not offer NPCs and dialogues
- the open PvP discourages many players
- Fallout is, after all, a game in which the player’s solitude is an important factor
With The Elder Scrolls Online, Bethesda has proven that it can successfully release a single-player series as an online game, but players are now skeptical about Fallout 76.
Bethesda has to make the Fallout fans crave a new Fallout that differs in many key elements from the other titles in the series. That’s no easy task.
Loneliness and story as keys to success?
This is how Fallout 76 could still reach the core fans: There are some points where Fallout 76 must convince:
- It must feel fundamentally like a single-player RPG and give the player the feeling of being (more or less) alone in the game world. The feeling of loneliness that other Fallout games exude must be preserved.
- The story must engage. The Fallout games simply thrive on the story. It is an integral part and must convince in Fallout 76.
- The exploration aspect must be right. In Fallout, the most exciting situations arose from exploring the wasteland and discovering secrets that could lead to small adventures. This must also be the case in Fallout 76.
- PvP should not be annoying. Those who just want to explore the world and follow the story should not be frustrated by constant attacks from enemies.
- The multiplayer aspect must feel natural. It should be something special to encounter other players, leading to exciting situations. Simply seeing players jumping around could ruin the atmosphere.
In these 5 key points Fallout 76 must deliver
Here are still the sticking points: Even if previous previews say that Fallout 76 feels like a Fallout, there are some points that still raise a few question marks and could be crucial for its success or failure among core fans:
- No NPCs – Non-player characters have been important in Fallout so far. Exploring their personalities, figuring out their motivations, is simply a lot of fun in the single-player titles. Experiencing how civilization works after the nuclear war is interesting. One has to forgo that in Fallout 76.
- No dialogues – For many, a good RPG includes the ability to talk with NPCs. Making decisions that might impact relationships or even the story. There will be none of that in Fallout 76.
- Microtransactions – These generally represent a problem for many online games. They must be fair and should not impose themselves on the player. In Fallout there have only been DLCs as additional content so far. Now it is possible to purchase cosmetic items.
- Atmosphere – Here, the cosmetic items play a role. In previous gameplay material, for example, players with party hats have been seen wandering through the wasteland. Depending on how outlandish the costumes are, this could harm the atmosphere.
- Story – So far, it is known that the story of Fallout 76 revolves around the disappearance of the inhabitants of the region. Now it remains to be seen whether Bethesda can also tell this story engagingly.
Fallout 76 has a tough stance in the community. It must convince players that it feels and plays like Fallout. And achieving this will simply be a bit harder for Bethesda than it was with The Elder Scrolls Online. It is doable – I have faith in Fallout 76.
But whether it succeeds, we will find out at the release on November 14.
