'Fallout 76' players cry foul as Bethesda announces new subscription service

In 2014, "The Elder Scrolls Online" launched and was met with mixed reviews. Nevertheless, it eventually found its niche among fans. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for "Fallout 76," which is still reportedly plagued by bugs and gameplay issues. Now, the developer's latest announcement is apparently not sitting well with its remaining players. This is mostly because some of the new features being locked behind a subscription service, which is hard to justify given its unpolished nature.

The "Fallout" series of action RPGs have always been a hit among gamers. Together with "The Elder Scrolls" games, both have a huge fanbase that eagerly anticipates each new installment that comes out. Traditionally, all of the titles released from each of these two franchises offer offline gameplay with a single-player campaign. Gamers can choose to go with a monthly fee $12.99 or save some cash with a $99.99 annual subscription.

IGN details all of the benefits subscribers can access as listed by Bethesda. Users can host up to seven friends on a private server, unlimited crafting component storage, 1,650 Atoms monthly, a portable fast travel point, a Ranger Armor outfit and an exclusive set of icons with emotes. Others would go as far as to say that these look good on paper. However, this seems like the company is charging players for these perks but is failing to address the ongoing problems with "Fallout 76" itself.

Its been almost a year since the online version of Fallout was launched for the PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, but most of the snags persist. On the other hand, even though the gameplay still needs improvement, there are groups of dedicated fans who support the game. Still, after Bethesda's latest update related to the optional features, reports claim these supporters are likewise not thrilled about it.

Things quickly got heated as players flooded the official "Fallout 76" forums with complaints. It's clear that this might be another blunder for Bethesda as it attempts to market the online title again. The month of October is filled with multiple major game releases and one might be a great alternative for disgruntled users. Early reviews of "The Outer Worlds" from Obsidian Entertainment paint it as "Fallout" but with interstellar elements.