Forums » Fallout

Why I Won't Be Buying Fallout 76 in 2018 (and why that sucks...)

    • 1467 posts
    September 27, 2018 11:07 PM EDT

    Although the beta is going live only 22 days before Fallout 76’s Nov. 14 release date, Bethesda said Thursday in a post on its website that the company intends for it to be a true beta, with a plan to “stress test and break the game.” As such, the game’s servers will not be available all the time during the beta — developer Bethesda Game Studios will run the servers for limited windows in an effort to maximize player counts. 

    “Focusing as many players as we can into these windows is our prime objective,” the studio said, noting that the servers might be live for four to eight hours on any given day. “Then we’ll fix what we need to fix and do it again and again from the start of B.E.T.A. until a few days before launch.”

    (Polygon Fallout 76 beta begins Oct. 23 on Xbox One)

    Those who were around the site when Fallout 76 was announced would know that I was incredibly enthusiastic about the release of the game, and ended up being one of the more active members on Fallout 76 content for that first few weeks to a month. Since then, I've been a little spotty about how much content I've been following (due more to my lack of time than anything else) but today I've officially decided that I won't be ordering Fallout 76, and...while I won't quite say that I'm going to recommend against it, I think it's something that even hardcore Bethesda/Fallout fans should be weary of.

    Reason 1 - This is a fairly new experiment for Bethesda

    So let's start off with the most obvious potential issue for the game. This isn't really something that Bethesda has done before. They've had Multiplayer in a few of their games (DOOM for example) but nothing as complex as Fallout: 76. While this isn't entirely a bad thing (there are positives as well) it does mean that we have to take a risk. It's entirely possible that Fallout: 76 will follow a lot of other multiplayer games, and have a really difficult starting point. Just as a few examples, Destiny and Destiny 2 were both flamed for having a lack of content to start. ESO had a fairly rocky start and I think only really took off after Tamriel Unlimited. Really I can't think of a single (primarily) online game that's been released recently that's instantly been good, most have a fairly long period before they become exceptional, and with Fallout:76 being...kind of unique in a lot of ways, I think this problem is going to be pretty apparent from launch.

    This isn't all bad to be honest, I still have high hopes for what the game is going to be, but I think it's fair to acknowledge that the game is going to go through rough patches to begin with. It's new, this isn't a new MMO coming from a company that's dabbled in the genre for a long time, it's a...well new experiment, and that's enought to initially make me a bit hesitant, enough that I wasn't going to Pre-Order.

    Reason 2 - The Pre-Order System

    So here's where I want to get into the meat of the issue. Which is the B.E.T.A and it's connection with the Pre-Order system. This is just kinda terrible, I can sort of understand it with something like Call of Duty, or even Destiny 2 (which didn't have a closed Beta...just saying) because those are established franchises, with companies copy-pasting(...I mean uhhh...Nah that works) the same general formula, so you roughly know what to expect. Those that played Destiny knew that Destiny 2 was going to be a bit shitty to start (and shock-horror, it wasn't great) and Call of Duty fans know to expect pretty much the same thing every year, with whatever tweak/gimmick the companies throwing in. But...Bethesda has locked their B.E.T.A behind a pay-wall, yeah that's not terrible if your buying the game, but the point of a Beta (in my opinion) is to sway people into buying your game, not give the people buying it an extra bonus.

    At the moment, I'd be expected to at least pay the holding price (or whatever you want to call it) to pre-order the game but then have the opportunity to cancel my Pre-Order. On it's own, this isn't that huge of an issue, it sucks and it's a lot of effort for a game I might not end up buying, but fine if I wanted to I would...But here's the issue. 

    Although the beta is going live only 22 days before Fallout 76’s Nov. 14 release date (Polygon Fallout 76 beta begins Oct. 23 on Xbox One)

    Yeah...so see this is a kinda big deal. Worse for me because I get it a week later because Sony and Bethesda hate each other (or whatever). For me, I have roughly 10 days of the BETA to decide whether to shell out $100 (Australian) for the game, or not. So, that's an iffy situation already, if the game is as large as we think it is (which it probably is, if not larger) this game is going to be complex, I'd want to be testing out a few different characters so I can get used to Character Creation, Combat, probably see about testing MP and SP, and so on and so forth. There's a lot that goes into testing out something like this, and while 10 days is a good amount of time, there's also not a lot of down-time. If this were happening at the start of the month, hell even just two weeks ago, I wouldn't be complaining. But giving me 10 (ish) days to play the game, and then a few days to make my decision....that's tough man. It's the sort of thing that discourages a logical approach to the purchase, which is something I strive to do.

    But here's the final reason...and it blows, and it's what's actually swayed me. These are two solid reasons, but I could've gotten around them pretty easily, really easily to be honest, wouldn't have been a problem if it weren't for this...final...piece of information.

    Reason 3 - Just, damn.

    ...Bethesda said Thursday in a post on its website that the company intends for it to be a true beta, with a plan to “stress test and break the game.” As such, the game’s servers will not be available all the time during the beta — developer Bethesda Game Studios will run the servers for limited windows in an effort to maximize player counts.  “Focusing as many players as we can into these windows is our prime objective,” the studio said, noting that the servers might be live for four to eight hours on any given day. “Then we’ll fix what we need to fix and do it again and again from the start of B.E.T.A. until a few days before launch.”

    So for those that haven't seen this, it's incredibly crucial information in my opinion. Servers may be live for four to eight hours on any given day. Four-Eight...So realistically, we have 40-80 hours (nearly double that if your on Xbox) to decide. But worse then that...is how restrictive this is, anyone who has work/school get screwed over. Those that live outside of the US, probably getting screwed over unless Bethesda runs differnet periods/servers for different regions (which seems kinda unlikely considering there's been no mention of region-specific anything)... They screw over so many people who might want to test the game here, and I think for Fallout: 76, testing the game is crucial. To be entirely fair, this isn't enitrely a slight against Bethesda, I recognize that their reasons are fair and all, and I would dare-say that they'll do their best to make sure as many people as possible get as much time to play as possible, but their are limits and this just, it's the final nail in the coffin really.

    Conclusion:

    Long ass piece of writing I know, but I'm ending it...soon. So yeah, this isn't me going "Nobody buy Fallout 76" or anything like that, I mean, I'm not going to and I hope that this makes you think about it a bit, but it's just my personal take on some of the flaws of Fallout: 76's pre-release/order system. I have done a fair bit of research on that final reason because I think it could be critical, specifically if you live anywhere other than the States it could (potentially) be terrible. I hope it isn't, but yeah.

    I am eager for Fallout: 76, I think it has more potential than just about any game coming out, possibly even eclipsing Cyberpunk 2077 (which I'm super pumped for) or TES: 6. Which isn't something I say lightly, but I really think that the game is...well I think the Pre-Order decisions that Bethesda made really turned me off buying the game.


    This post was edited by SpookyBorn2021 at September 29, 2018 3:29 AM EDT
    • 1467 posts
    September 27, 2018 11:11 PM EDT

    Just if you wanted a tl:dr - The game is something new for Bethesda, and I think that limiting the BETA as much as they have is a terrible idea that's pushed me away from the game. If it came out next year and had 3 or 4 BETA tests over that period, I think the game would be awesome and I'd be here cheering it on more than anyone else :P.

    • 1441 posts
    September 27, 2018 11:40 PM EDT

    Also, having the beta just a few WEEKS before release, hmmm....

    • 1467 posts
    September 28, 2018 12:59 AM EDT

    Chris said:

    Also, having the beta just a few WEEKS before release, hmmm....

    That to, it's kinda weird since it doesn't give them any real time to make adjustments to the game before launch, so if there are any difficult bugs in the game it'd be hard to fix it before release...and the game really doesn't need negative reviews to start out, I think so many people are kinda iffy on it to start, so it needs to sell people quick.

    • 773 posts
    September 28, 2018 3:55 PM EDT

    I feel your pain (although perhaps I wouldn't articulate it with so much swearing!)

    Having taken a bit of a step back on Fallout 76 - as much as anything due to lack of information coming from Bethesda - it appears to me that there is a high probability that the game will be something of a disaster at launch.

    And, you know what, it's a real shame. Because I think there is enough good concept in Fallout 76 for it to be amazing... eventually! 

    My feeling is that the early adopters are being used as BETA testers - and I don't just mean those invited into the actual BETA, I mean everyone who buys the game at launch or soon after. The chances of Bethesda pulling everything together to make Fallout 76 a compelling experience at launch are exceedingly small! We know that from Bethesda's track record, combined with the fact that they are trying to do something completely new with the online play.

    I know its not exactly Bethesda Game Studios, but I forsee something similar to ESO. Everyone HATED ESO at launch. Gradually they corrected everything that was wrong and now its an amazing experience. I think the same will likely happen with Fallout 76, except it will probably take even longer to put right, based on the way that everything just seems so rushed at this point.

    I'll be hnoest, I'm considering not even buying Fallout 76 until we see how the first few months pan out...

    • 1467 posts
    September 29, 2018 3:25 AM EDT

    I feel your pain (although perhaps I wouldn't articulate it with so much swearing!)

    Having taken a bit of a step back on Fallout 76 - as much as anything due to lack of information coming from Bethesda - it appears to me that there is a high probability that the game will be something of a disaster at launch.

    And, you know what, it's a real shame. Because I think there is enough good concept in Fallout 76 for it to be amazing... eventually! 

    My feeling is that the early adopters are being used as BETA testers - and I don't just mean those invited into the actual BETA, I mean everyone who buys the game at launch or soon after. The chances of Bethesda pulling everything together to make Fallout 76 a compelling experience at launch are exceedingly small! We know that from Bethesda's track record, combined with the fact that they are trying to do something completely new with the online play.

    I know its not exactly Bethesda Game Studios, but I forsee something similar to ESO. Everyone HATED ESO at launch. Gradually they corrected everything that was wrong and now its an amazing experience. I think the same will likely happen with Fallout 76, except it will probably take even longer to put right, based on the way that everything just seems so rushed at this point.

    I'll be hnoest, I'm considering not even buying Fallout 76 until we see how the first few months pan out...

    Fair enough on the swearing, didn't entirely notice how much there was in it so I might edit most of it out, kinda throws the tone off a bit from "sorta angry but mostly dissapointed" to just angry. 

    But yeah, thhat's pretty much entirely my stance on the game, I have a tonne of hope for what it could be, but I think after that initial period of extreme excitement I took a proper look at the game and just...couldn't justify my excitement to the same extent. 

    • 627 posts
    September 30, 2018 1:52 AM EDT

    I see you'll be joining me in not buying this game at launch although for greatly different reasons then my own (Pokemon and Money contraints being my reasons). Anyway, I hope this game does well because it would be fun to be able to drop into at some point down the line.

    • 33 posts
    October 1, 2018 10:37 AM EDT

    You already know Bethesda isn't from that bug testing life. I was also planning on waiting until the annoying -and not so annoying- LPers get their hands on it so I can see whether it's as good as Bethesda's map making department or as good as Bethesda's bug testing department (TWO jokes about how this game is going to be more prone to freezing than the nazi army during Operation Barbarossa? I must be on a roll!), and spend accordingly on either Fallout 76 or doughnuts, probably.