Fallout 76 is once again in the news for the wrong reasons. This time, it concerns ZeniMax Media. The parent company of Bethesda is now offering refunds to players in Australia. In a report by Gamesindustry.biz, the story broke that Australian gamers had been raising an issue on the federal level over the state of Fallout 76.
So, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) have accepted that ZeniMax may have misled players surrounding their digital rights. The violation here: customers were refused refunds for Fallout 76, despite experiencing various issues with the game.
Thankfully, ZeniMax have accepted that they likely went against Australia’s consumer law.
Fallout 76 and the Contravention of Law
You know that feeling when you can’t imagine things can get worse? And then they do! That is Fallout 76. So, with this news, it’s important that we look at the official statement from this.
ACCC commissioner Sarah Court said:
“When a consumer buys a product it comes with automatic consumer guarantees, and retailers must ensure their refunds and returns policies do not misrepresent what the Australian Consumer Law provides,”
Straight out of the gate, Court lays out the issue. If a product is faulty, then the consumer is entitled to a refund. However, there seems to be a way for game publishers to get around that. Think about the number of buggy messes we get these days. Surely, this equates to buying a faulty product and being entitled to a refund.
Court continues to discuss the issue surrounding Fallout 76:
“When a consumer has purchased a product that has a fault which amounts to a major failure, the Australian Consumer Law provides them with the right to ask for their choice of either a repair, replacement or refund.”
So, in short, ZeniMax is in violation of consumer law and therefore must offer refunds for Fallout 76. Ultimately, ZeniMax will offer refunds for players who contacted them between November 24, 2018, and June 1, 2019. Also, the company will amend its customer service documents and scripts to reflect the ACCC’s concerns.
How are you feeling about the state of the Fallout franchise? Let us know in the comments!