Fallout 76‘s Update 14 launches today, adding a new seasonal event, color-coded item rarities, bug fixes, and the like, but what really stands out with Update 14 is “Fallout 1st,” a premium membership that provides players with private Fallout 76 servers, in-game currency, and other items.
There's a Fallout 76 $99.99 1-year membership https://t.co/Bs9fNezNdB pic.twitter.com/4y0YaROFdU
— Wario64 (@Wario64) October 23, 2019
Subscriptions cost either $12.99 monthly or $99 annually, and the main draw here is definitely the private worlds. Only the owner of a private world needs to be a Fallout 1st member, and they can either play Fallout 76 alone or invite their friends to their server. Fallout 1st members will also receive a monthly allowance of 1650 Atoms (roughly $15 USD) as well as “exclusive sales” in the Atomic Shop. The subscription also includes some in-game items that provide a tangible gameplay benefit despite Bethesda’s initial promise of strictly cosmetic monetization. Those who pay the monthly subscription fee will get access to the scrapbox, which provides unlimited storage space for crafting components, and the survival tent, which essentially serves as a second camp complete with a stash, sleeping bag, cooking station, and the works. The tent even acts as a second free fast travel point in addition to players’ camps.
You actually do get quite a bit if you subscribe to Fallout 1st and the value is pretty good, but you have to play Fallout 76 to make use of any of it, so I guess it sort of cancels out. If you want more details on Fallout 1st, like Bethesda’s official FAQ, you can check that out here.