Despite the many criticisms leveled at Fallout 76, and Bethesda’s practices surrounding its launch, the new multiplayer RPG has established a committed player base. That said, these dedicated fans are still willing to raise concern about the game’s problems, and their latest target appears to be its microtransactions.
As pointed out in a popular thread on Reddit, new holiday themed cosmetics have just been introduced to Fallout 76‘s virtual storefront, the Atomic Shop. These seasonal items can be purchased using an in-game currency called Atoms, and, for some players, the price tag on them is simply excessive.
Specifically, the newly added Holidays Emote Bundle, which consists of 12 icons that can be displayed near a player’s character, costs 1,200 Atoms. The Bundle: Comin’ to Town consists of Santa and Mrs. Claus character skins, a reindeer camp decoration, and two emotes at the price of 2,000 Atoms.
For clarity, Atoms can be purchased at a rate of approximately $1 per 100 Atoms, meaning these two packs cost nearly $12 and $20 respectively. A Reddit users summarizes a portion of the player base’s position on these costs:
That’s $20.00… one-third of the full game. Twice as much as most DLCs combined… This Santa outfit will be relevant for less than two weeks. COME ON BETHESDA! Fallout 76 is already selling for $26.00 at some retailers!
While the thread is filled with many players echoing the same opinion, there is a dissenting faction that accurately points out that Atoms can be acquired through standard gameplay. This is certainly true, however, the original poster suggests that Atom acquisition slows down significantly as players reach Fallout 76‘s end-game, and players interested in cosmetics will likely need to spend real-world money as a result.
Furthermore, some players note that these cosmetic items have no gameplay impact, and players can choose to ignore them. While this is currently accurate, recent data mining suggests that new game-changing items called Lunchboxes may be on their way to the Atomic Shop. Reports suggest that these Lunchboxes will increase a player’s damage capabilities, XP gains, and more.
If Bethesda does indeed add purchasable items with real effects on gameplay, it seems likely that the current frustration over Fallout 76‘s microtransactions will continue. This will be even more true if the costs are in line with these newly added winter cosmetics.
The conversation surrounding the winter cosmetics can be found on Reddit. The Lunchbox data mining is located there as well.
