I have been into gaming since time began … or since gaming began, at least. I have all the PlayStation consoles (PS1 through to PS4) and I have over a thousand games. I’m not joking.
I love gaming. I’m a loyal PlayStation fan. However, this is my first rant in regards to gaming.
For Christmas, I received more games than books last year. I think my family wanted to buy something different, so each present (almost) was a new game. Honestly, I was in my glory.
This was especially so when I tore open a present and found a Fallout game. My family laughed and said my eyes lit up. Sounds a bit evil to me! 😊 Anyway, last year, I played Fallout 4 for several months. I became totally addicted. It was brilliant and I couldn’t get enough of it. But eventually all good things must come to an end and I was disappointed on the day I had to admit the game had run its course and I had to admit I had completed it. *sigh*
So when I opened Fallout 76 on Christmas Day, I was excited. I could return to a well known place and legitimately become engrossed in a new adventure, through a game I loved.
To savour the moment, I played the other games first!
Yesterday, I pulled Fallout 76 out and sat patiently for four hours while the system downloaded and updated the latest patch. When I finally gained control of the game and it was about to launch me into the world I’d eagerly waited for, I was over the moon.
I pressed any key as instructed … and that’s where my rant really begins. I could have, of course, started my rant at the stage where I had to wait four hours for the patch to download, but I was willing to let that go. So my rant starts here…
When I pressed any key to start the game, instead of being taken to the start of the game — as one would expect — I was taken to a subscription page. I scanned the page, decided I didn’t want a subscription (thanks for asking) and pressed the key to go on to the game. Instead I was returned to the main PlayStation start up page.
Right, now I’m confused, something must have gone wrong. I started again. I was offered the subscription, I rejected the subscription, and ended up back at the start up page.
Now I’m concerned, what’s wrong? Maybe I have to find the “No Thanks” option on the subscription page. I go through the steps again, search the subscription page to find no other options, except purchase options. Yes, I end back at the main start up page.
I head to the internet. What am I doing wrong? And naturally I found the answer pretty quickly.
Nothing.
That’s right, I was doing nothing wrong. You cannot play Fallout 76 without purchasing a subscription!
What a bloody cheek. A family member has purchased the game for me and it cannot be played unless I’m online and have a PlayStore+ subscription. The dirty, rotten mongrels.
Of course, I later discovered that it does say that on the front cover of the game. In tiny letters, that no one is going to read. In my opinion, this is important information and that wording should be large and bold and highlighted in every way. Look at me. Read here. Only buy this game if you like playing online and you have (or want) a subscription. If not, put me down now and don’t waste your money.
I feel I’ve been ripped off. Totally. No, I didn’t buy the game, but someone did in good faith. They threw money away. I will not be forced to purchase a subscription. And if this is the way of future gaming, I think I’m going to swap over to the anti-gaming campaign. All those gaming companies out there have to remember that not everyone has an internet connection, for one thing. Not everyone wants to play online with strangers. I’ve always been quite happy to go solo, and that’s the way I prefer it to stay. I should have the choice. Not everyone wants to, or can afford to, purchase the subscription.
Right now I’m disappointed in PlayStation and Bethesda. But mostly, I’m disappointed because I will NOT be playing Fallout 76. And now I’m angry too.
