Bethesda Game Studios released the 8.5 update for Fallout 76 on all platforms today, adding a new single-use consumable item to the game’s microtransaction store.
According to the patch notes, the Repair Kit is a single-use consumable item that completely repairs any weapon or item without consuming any crafting materials and cannot be “crafted, dropped, sold to vendors, or traded with other players.” There are two versions of the item that can be earned or bought.
The Basic Repair Kit restores an item to 100% and can only be bought through the Atomic Shop, Fallout 76’s microtransaction store containing cosmetic items and emotes. The currency for the shop are Atoms, earned through in-game challenges or bought with real-world money.
The Improved Repair Kit repairs an item to 150% and is not available in the Atomic Shop. It can be currently be earned as loot by defeating the Scorchbeast Queen, and “may be added as rewards for other types of in-game content in the future,” Bethesda said.
The Fallout 76 community was not pleased with the addition of utility items in the microtransaction store when Bethesda announced the new item earlier this month, believing that the store should only sell cosmetics and not items that affect gameplay directly. The studio offered a statement in the patch notes explaining the decision.
“When we originally announced the Atomic Shop last year, we said that it will not provide anything that offers a competitive advantage,” Bethesda wrote. “We remain committed to that statement and take it into account when we evaluate every new item that we bring to the Shop, both now and in the future.”
“While Repair Kits do offer a way to fix an item in the field, we feel you will find that they are a convenient option you can utilize during your adventures. If we find that Repair Kits do offer any sort of competitive advantage once they are available, we will make any changes necessary to ensure that advantage is removed.”
The 8.5 update also adds the ProSnap Deluxe Camera, an in-game item that can be equipped like a weapon and can take photos, alongside camera-related challenges. The update is part of the Wild Appalachia series of new quests, features, and items coming to Fallout 76 during this spring.
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