At release, Fallout 76 struggled with many issues, and not only regarding its technology. The marketing also faced a lot of criticism. Now, a former executive and the person who endorsed part of it back then is speaking out.
Here’s what happened with Fallout 76:
- Fallout 76 had numerous technical problems at release in November 2018. From strange bugs that made you faster when staring at the ground, to crashes or issues that made the game unplayable.
- In the first weeks, there was significant criticism from the community that the game did not deserve a 1.0 release. It was said to be too unfinished and should go back into development for a few more months or longer. User ratings plummeted.
- However, aside from the technical problems, there was also discontent among players: some Fallout fans felt betrayed by an online game without NPCs. A particularly large outcry was caused by the Collector’s Edition.
What was the problem with the Collector’s Edition? Bethesda offered a strictly limited Power Armor Edition for a proud 200 Euros. Contents: A T-51 Power Armor helmet with a carrying bag, a map of the game world (that glows in the dark), miniatures, and in-game rewards. Of course, also the game itself in a steelbook.
Apart from the fact that the helmet was not really wearable because it could allegedly mold, the biggest problem with the collector’s edition was the carrying bag. Bethesda advertised it as: “West Tek travel bag made from canvas”.
Canvas is a very durable, high-quality material that can withstand a lot and is therefore somewhat more expensive. Instead of this bag, however, the Power Armor packages contained only a bag made of cheap nylon. The buyers felt – rightly so – cheated.
After some time, Bethesda backtracked and stated that it was all due to a shortage and delivery problems with canvas. Later, the bags were replaced for the buyers. However, the entire issue with the Collector’s Edition still annoys a former executive today.
“This is a damn insult!”
Pete Hines was the President of Publishing at Bethesda and one of the company’s most recognizable faces. After 24 years at Bethesda, he announced in October 2023 that he would leave the studio.
In an interview with DBLTAP, Hines now talks about his time at Bethesda and about Fallout 76 – particularly about the Collector’s Edition. According to Hines, a bag should never have been part of the edition; that only happened after he had already endorsed it. He says:
They tried to give the Collector’s Edition a higher value. We’re always fighting with the finance people over margins. I had powerful tantrums. “We can’t charge people 300 dollars for this; it’s a damn insult!”
[…] My biggest mistake was not insisting on making [bags] right away and sending one to anyone who wanted one. Because I was still angry that this thing was even in there. And nobody told me that, or that there was a canvas shortage. That might be the dumbest thing I’ve ever done at Bethesda.
Despite the initial difficulties, Fallout 76 has improved over the years. Bugs have been fixed, the world has been significantly expanded, and even NPCs have found their way into Appalachia, the game world of Fallout 76.
From the initially poor ratings, the survival game has since recovered and regularly ranks in the upper midfield. That a lot went wrong is acknowledged even by Bethesda: Former executive says, Fallout 76 deserved all the criticism, but the years of work put into it were worth it
