Fallout 76 Introduces Fallout 1st, a Paid Premium Membership

Bethesda has stirred the pot again with its latest update to Fallout 76, one that introduces a new premium membership. But is the perks and new features worth a $13-a-month fee?

Fallout 76, the controversial open-world multiplayer RPG, recently received its 14th update. According to the patch notes, the update added new events, new cosmetics, and new features. It also included a new monthly service called Fallout 1st, which provides additional features to those willing to pay the cost.

What Fallout 1st Includes:

• Private Servers: The private server will be available to the member, as well as 7 friends. Modding is not available on these servers at this time.
• The Scrapbox: a new container that can hold unlimited scrap, separate from the Stash Box.
• The Survival Tent: a deployable mini-base that offers the standard array of survival amenities, separate from your personal base.
• Monthly Atoms: the game's premium currency, the player is given 1,650 Atoms every month they are a member.
• Exclusive Cosmetics: The Ranger Outfit will be a Fallout 1st member-exclusive cosmetic, along with various emotes and icons.

Unsurprisingly, people are a special kind of angry about this. Fallout 76 received heavy criticism upon release for its implementation of premium currency and microtransactions, despite being a full-priced game. Limiting in-demand features behind a monthly paywall only adds to that controversy.

I, personally, have played a great deal of Fallout 76. And while I made peace with the Atom Shop and the microtransaction, this decision has been upsetting to me. I already paid for the game, having gameplay features hidden behind a paywall feels vaguely insulting to players like me that don't want to spend more money than I have to.

Regardless of how you feel. The service is available on PC, Xbox One, and PS4 for $12.99 a month, or at $99.99 a year (about $8 a month). More information on that can be found on the Fallout website.