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Bethesda’s poorly received ‘Fallout 76’ won’t be going free to play

Earlier this week, we heard rumors that Bethesda had begun removing Fallout 76 from store shelves in certain regions, apparently in preparation for the online role-playing game to transition to a free-to-play business model. Despite the game’s recent troubles, however, Bethesda will not be doing this anytime soon.

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Responding to an upset fan concerned about the game going free-to-play just months after excited players had purchased it, the Bethesda Twitter account said there was “no truth” to the rumor.

There is no truth to this rumor.

— Bethesda (@bethesda) January 22, 2019

Though the game will still be available for sale, it has had its price cut significantly from the $60 it cost at launch. As early as November 24, the price on Amazon was cut to just $35. It’s currently selling for $40 on the platform — still far above what Fallout 4 will set you back.

As something of a concession, Bethesda announced in December that anyone who logged into Fallout 76 before the end of 2018 would receive the Fallout Classic Collection, which contains Fallout, Fallout Tactics, and Fallout 2. Despite this collection being on PC, the offer applies to anyone who played the game across PC, PlayStation 4, or Xbox One.

Fallout 76‘s problems began almost immediately after it launched in November, with Twitch viewership statistics showing that it wasn’t holding attention the way Fallout 4 did in 2015. Even worse, the launch numbers were actually worse than they had been during the B.E.T.A. period, suggesting viewers had seen enough of the game and were ready to move on to something new. Piles of game merchandise went unsold at local retailers we visited, as well.

Though the bugs, lack of content, and issues with cheating and exploiting in Fallout 76 have all received criticism, not everyone is so down on the game, or at least the potential it holds. Digital Trends’ Matt Smith sees potential for the game to re-emerge much like No Man’s Sky did after radically improving its basic gameplay systems to the point of being unrecognizable. Bethesda has certain made major improvements in its games before, particularly with The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, but achieving Fallout 76‘s redemption will be its toughest challenge yet.

Fallout 76 is now available on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC.

Gabe Gurwin
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Gabe Gurwin has been playing games since 1997, beginning with the N64 and the Super Nintendo. He began his journalism career…
Disney Dreamlight Valley leaves early access in December, but won’t be free
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Gameloft confirmed that its Disney life sim Disney Dreamlight Valley will finally leave early access on December 5 alongside the release of its A Rift in Time expansion. That said, Gameloft also confirmed one big change: Disney Dreamlight Valley will no longer be free-to-play when it comes out.

Disney Dreamlight Valley entered early access in September 2022 as a cozy life sim game inspired by games like Stardew Valley and Animal Crossing: New Horizons. It has received a steady stream of content updates since, and Gameloft finally decided that it's time for the game to leave early access. Disney Dreamlight Valley will finally do so this December.
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When the game was announced, Gameloft's original intention was to have a paid early access period for what would then transition to a free-to-play game. Gameloft decided to reverse that decision, so Disney Dreamlight Valley's base game will remain priced at $30 after its December 5 launch. "This choice ensures that Disney Dreamlight Valley will be able to continue delivering on a premium game experience for all players," Gameloft explains in a blog post. "It's important to us that we maintain our promise to keep delivering free content updates that add new characters, realms, clothing, furniture, and more surprises to your Valley."
Microtransactions will remain in the game after launch despite the fact that Disney Dreamlight Valley is no longer a free-to-play game. Gameloft says in-game purchases "will remain optional, fair, and match the level of quality players have come to expect."
Disney Dreamlight Valley will exit early access across PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch on December 5.

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If you're a fan of Disney, the Animal Crossing games, or better yet, both, then you've no doubt at least heard about Disney Dreamlight Valley. This original title lets you create a custom character that can enter the titular valley to meet a wide range of your favorite Disney characters. The game launched into early access in 2022, but with a price tag of $30 to play. For those who would rather wait until the game is complete to join in on the fun of helping out all your favorite childhood characters, there's the question of whether you will also need to pay when the game fully launches. Here's what you need to know regarding Disney Dreamlight Valley and if it will be free to play.
Is Disney Dreamlight Valley free to play?

Disney Dreamlight Valley remains in early access for now, but the developers at Gameloft have made it clear from the start that the title will indeed be free to play upon its official release. There will still be microtransactions and expansions to purchase, but  the base experience will be free for everyone.

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The realm of mobile gaming has come a long way since the days when you were lucky if you could play a game of Snake on your brick of a phone. Today, we all have essentially a modern console in our pockets with games that look and play just as good as what is offered on current consoles. Unlike the console or PC space, mobile games have mostly stuck to either being extremely cheap or simply free-to-play. While that sounds great on the surface, it also means that the storefronts are filled with thousands of games looking for your attention, with only a select few worthy of your time. If you're looking for your next mobile go-to with no upfront cost, here are the best free-to-play mobile games you may never delete from your home screen.

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