Fallout 76 players aren't happy about being charged $7 for a fridge

Fallout 76
(Image credit: Bethesda)

In the latest Fallout 76 Patch 13 Atomic Shop update, the addition of a stainless steel refrigerator has got players up in arms because of its price tag. In the world of Fallout 76, consumable foods will rot over time, and many have been wishing for a fridge to store their food and keep everything fresh and tasty. Bethesda have apparently taken stock of this request, but the players are not impressed because the only way you can actually get your hands on it currently is by spending no less than 700 atoms, which is the equivalent of $7. 

Many have been expressing their annoyance over the price tag on Fallout 76's subreddit, but most of the anger is directed at the fact that paying is the only way to get it. In a thread on Reddit, user SoapyCapt compared the price of the refrigerator with the Automatron DLC released for Fallout 4, which clocked in at $9.99. In the thread's comments section, redditor Mugiwara_bon_clay said they'd be happy to pay for a refrigerator skin, but the actual functional object itself should be available as some kind of quest reward. 

This isn't the first time the community has taken issue with Fallout 76 microtransactions. The most controversial addition so far has been the repair kits, which were the first paid-for items you could buy that served a functional purpose. In an interview with PCGamer, Bethesda project lead Jeff Gardiner defended the decision to make repair kits paid-for items on the store, saying "We believed the repair kits were a convenience item for people who didn't want to grind for adhesive and other things." 

With so many complaints about the latest store addition, only time will tell if Bethesda decide to change things up and give players the chance to get the item by other means in-game. 

Getting stuck into the action in the wasteland? Here are all the Fallout 76 tips you need to know. 

Heather Wald
Senior staff writer

I started out writing for the games section of a student-run website as an undergrad, and continued to write about games in my free time during retail and temp jobs for a number of years. Eventually, I earned an MA in magazine journalism at Cardiff University, and soon after got my first official role in the industry as a content editor for Stuff magazine. After writing about all things tech and games-related, I then did a brief stint as a freelancer before I landed my role as a staff writer here at 12DOVE. Now I get to write features, previews, and reviews, and when I'm not doing that, you can usually find me lost in any one of the Dragon Age or Mass Effect games, tucking into another delightful indie, or drinking far too much tea for my own good.