Bethesda's Pete Hines expresses displeasure, labeling the pricing of the Fallout 76 Collector's Edition as outlandish and insulting, further stating that it was likely the most foolish decision he ever made at Bethesda.

Longtime Bethesda Employee Expresses a Single Major Regret After 24 Years

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2025 September 15 . 3:53 AM

2 min read

Bethesda executive Pete Hines expresses disapproval over the priced Collector's Edition of Fallout... — Bethesda executive Pete Hines expresses disapproval over the priced Collector's Edition of Fallout 76, calling it a ridiculous and insulting decision. Hines further labels the action as the most foolish thing he does at Bethesda.

Bethesda's Pete Hines expresses displeasure, labeling the pricing of the Fallout 76 Collector's Edition as outlandish and insulting, further stating that it was likely the most foolish decision he ever made at Bethesda.

Pete Hines, the former president of publishing at Bethesda, has shared his thoughts on the development and release of Fallout 76, a game that has been both critically acclaimed and embroiled in controversy.

One of the issues that still bothers Hines is the replacement of the West Tek canvas bag in the Fallout 76 Power Armor Edition. Originally, the collector's edition, priced at $200, included an LED headlamp, a Power Armor helmet, and a West Tek canvas bag. However, due to a canvas shortage, players received a cheaper nylon version instead.

Hines was surprised to find out about this change and was not satisfied with the solution provided by Bethesda. He regrets not pushing for every player to receive the West Tek canvas bag as promised. The company opted to change the advertising copy for the Power Armor Edition to reflect the change, reimbursed buyers with in-game Fallout 76 cash, and explained the reason for the swap.

Another point of contention for Hines was the pricing of the collectors' editions. He frequently had disagreements with Bethesda's finance team about the cost, believing that Bethesda charged too much for the Fallout 76 Power Armor Edition.

In a more positive light, Hines reveals that he had to fight for the game's map to be larger than Skyrim's. Bethesda Game Studios tried to make the Fallout 76 map larger than that of the beloved RPG, a testament to their ambition for the game.

Despite the controversies and regrets, Hines served as the president of publishing at Bethesda for 24 years, contributing significantly to the success of the company and its games. His reflections on Fallout 76 offer a unique insight into the challenges and decisions faced during the game's development.