EB Games Australia will refund players of Bethesda’s Fallout 76 after the Australian Competition and Consumer Comission (ACCC), Australia's consumer protection agency, constituted the game a “major failure.” The post-apocalyptic MMO, released in 2018, attracted the ire of long-time series fans and the disdain of critics for its buggy, feature-light take on the Fallout universe.
In the intervening years, Bethesda ironed out some of the game's most prominent issues. The recent Wasteland Update stabilized the game, fixing thousands of bugs and transforming Fallout 76 into the game players hoped for at its release. An expanded story, improved dialogue options and the long-awaited introduction of NPCs to the vacant West Virginia countryside restore crucial Fallout elements that Fallout 76 lacked at launch. The game is closer than ever to feeling like a full-featured multiplayer follow up to Fallout 4 or Fallout: New Vegas, but it has yet to deliver on the promises made before its release.
The ACCC posted the announcement to its website yesterday morning. The ACCC claims consumers complained to the organization after EB Games denied them refunds, despite Fallout 76’s buggy launch. “Retailers must ensure that they train their staff so they do not misrepresent to consumers their consumer guarantee rights under the Australian Consumer Law, including the right to obtain a refund in certain circumstances,” ACCC Commissioner Sarah Court said in the statement. Players who purchased the game from the retailer between November 14, 2018, and October 31, 2019, can contact EB Games before August 1, 2020, to receive their money back. Upon accepting a refund, players will lose access to the game.
The ACCC’s declaration is the latest in a long line of condemnations against Bethesda. Less than a year ago, the ACCC published a similar statement, criticizing Bethesda owner Zenimax for its failure to refund players who directly contacted the company. Fallout 76 has been mired in controversy since its launch. For instance, players who purchased the collector’s edition were promised a high-quality canvas bag but received a cheap nylon substitute. Bethesda apologized and initially offered disgruntled players a pittance of in-game currency. Eventually, the company issued replacement bags. The cycle repeated. Bethesda made a gaffe, upset fans complained, and it issued an apology.
Bethesda mismanaged Fallout 76 from announcement to launch, setting false expectations that brewed resentment from the series' fanbase. The ACCC’s intervention on behalf of consumers hopefully discourages large corporations from taking advantage of their audiences. It's difficult to probe the line between a game as a commercial product or artistic pursuit, but Fallout 76 never tried to be more than an economic endeavor, which would have been acceptable had the game released in a more stable condition and the developers set more accurate expectations about the scope of the game. From Bethesda’s lack-luster response to player concerns to the game’s persistent bugs and glitches, the company should be held accountable for dumping a faulty product onto store shelves.