Bethesda has recently disclosed that player trading is not enforced in its upcoming multiplayer-focused entry Fallout 76, as the studio has kept weapon dismantling viable to get players properly geared for survival.
Speaking to Gameindustry.biz, Bethesda marketing boss Pete Hines said trading items with in-game merchants is normally a “pain in the ass” in video games, and that’s one of the reasons why Fallout 76 will retain Bethesda’s tradition of keeping trading purely optional. Similar to Fallout 4, Fallout 76 players can still dismantle their weapons to upgrade their equipment in the various workshops.
“Nothing says you have to trade or else because that’s taking choice out of your hands,” says Hines. “I’ve now dictated a system that you can’t live without, but what if that’s not how you want to play? What if you want to be a loner who just lives off the land and builds the stuff that he needs? Uses the workshops he finds in the wasteland? That should all be viable.”
True enough, most players only trade with in-game merchants in Bethesda’s RPGs to lighten the load and prevent their character from being over encumbered. It’s also a bit optimistic to think that random online players would waste their bottle caps on your junk items. With Fallout 76 relying on real-life players aspiring to be traders in setting up shops, it’s reassuring to hear that players can remain geared up without having to trade, especially considering that the game will have no human NPCs and factions.
Fallout 76 is slated to hit shelves on Nov. 14 for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
