Fallout 76 did not have the launch that Bethesda, or anyone wanted. It was a half-baked, bug-filled mess that in the players eyes did nothing for them besides constantly ask for more money, with micro-transactions everywhere they looked.
Looking at the game in 2023 however, you see a different picture, with a community of players that keeps rising, due in large part to the work Bethesda put in to making Fallout 76 a worthwhile experience for players to sink into.
But if not for PlayStation Now, it might’ve not had the chance to go through the updates it has, as Phil Spencer was getting close to pulling the plug on the whole game, if it didn’t get its monthly active user numbers up beyond 10 million/month.
This was discovered through emails leaked online thanks to the Microsoft v. FTC case, where in an email chain Spencer admits that though he’s against putting Microsoft titles like Minecraft on PlayStation services, as he considered PS Now a competitor to Xbox Game Pass, he doesn’t have the same reservation with Fallout 76.
“I’m fine with the F76 in PSNow. We have not allowed Minecraft to support PSNow as we do see PSNow as competition to XGP and don’t need to support their financial position with PSNow which would just allow them to compete more effectively with XGP.” Spencer began.
“I don’t know why I feel different about F76 so open to conversation here. In my view F76 is in this interesting place. Obviously started rough. Team stays focused on improving and finding larger audience. Feels like we either need to see this thing getting to 10M MAU across all platforms or decide to move on from it and if you believe PSNow can support it gaining relevance then I’m supportive.”
Fallout 76 did indeed end up being a part of the PlayStation Now library, and remains a part of the PS Plus Extra library of games in the new tired PS Plus system.
Of course Fallout 76’s rise from the ashes of its disastrous launch wouldn’t have happened if not for Bethesda’s work in updating the game, but it’s safe to say that getting it in front of more players through PS Now definitely didn’t hurt, and continues to not hurt as a part of PS Plus Extra.
Source – [The Gamer]