From the moment Fallout 76 hit shelves, it was a disappointment. Where Bethesda had promised an online RPG that was as compelling and well-crafted as their 2015 open-world title Fallout 4, players received an experience that was smaller, shorter and more unfinished than they were led to expect. For two years they demanded refunds, and for two years their pleas fell on deaf ears – that is, until now.
Earlier this week, EB Games let the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission know they would offer refunds to anyone who reached out to their customer service department between the game’s launch date – November 14th, 2018 – and October 31st, 2019. According to a report published by ComicBook.com, consumers have till August 1st to claim their money.
Sarah Court, an ACCC commissioner, issued the following statement regarding refunds:
“The Australian Consumer Law provides consumers with the right to ask for their choice of a repair, replacement or refund when they have purchased a product that has a fault which amounts to a major failure,” she said. “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.”
Legal jargon aside, the ACCC dealt quite the blow to Bethesda when it referred to their project as a ‘major failure.’ Then again, Fallout 76 is far from the first game to enter the market with a few technical bugs. However, most developers fix these issues as fast as possible through patches, rendering Bethesda’s failure to do so – even after two years – nothing short of scandalous.
For those of you who aren’t familiar with the property, the Fallout series allows players to step into the shoes of a nuclear holocaust survivor who must decide whether he or she wants to help rebuild society from the ashes up, or tear it down as others take on that task in their stead. Produced by the creators of the Elder Scrolls franchise, it’s led to some great video games – but Fallout 76 definitely isn’t one of them.