To Bethesda Softworks, LLC

Subject: To Bethesda Softworks, LLC
From: An Annoyed Asian Customer
Date: 20 Feb 2016

Dear Bethesda,

I have been a long time supporter of your company. Born in 1995, I only knew of your company and games in 2006 after the release of TES: Oblivion. Played it on the XBOX 360, and it was wonderful. Although I didn't finish the game (that time), I knew that this, is a great game created by a great company. And its because of you, Bethesda, that I fell in love with RPG games.

Fallout 3 was just the best thing that happened for me in games. I spent days, putting aside my school homework and just playing Fallout 3. Then it was Fallout New Vegas. It was because of your games I had bad grades in school, but that's not your fault Bethesda.

Then came Skyrim! Oh my god, do I remember the day I pre-ordered it.

Here in Malaysia, we don't have the games stores like you Americans or Europeans have. We have some random, generic ass named video game stores. Example: Galaxy Games!, or CK Multimedia!, or Star Game Station!. You get the idea. No kind of GameStop branches every block of the neighborhood.

We don't have midnight releases. We can only wait until the very day the game is expected to release. With that being said, sometimes there's delays that we have to wait until the next day or two, because of Customs.

Back to Skyrim. The game was a fuckload of hype here in Malaysia, like everywhere else in the world. Me and my friend, we decided to pre-ordered it after the announcement trailer came out. Paid 50 bucks (no, not $50 dollars, but RM50). A PS3 game costed RM180 ($60) back then.

Then it came out. SKYRIM! After a 2 hour delay because of Customs, I got the game around 7PM. And it was special. Just going to the store in a almost abandoned mall (as of 2016, it is abandoned totally. The game store has moved to another mall), and there are other gamers just hanging out, hyping up Skyrim. Talking about what they are going to do, etc.

I got the game, went straight back home and started playing around 8-9PM after installation. Played straight, for 12 hours.

The very next day, the infamous bug happened to my PS3. The horrendous lag.

But lo and behold, Bethesda fixed it and released an update quickly. This, was why I love you guys. The fact that you guys acknowledge there's a bug, fixed it, and released the update ASAP.

Then came Fallout 4.

Fallout 4. Another fuckload of hype here in Malaysia.

But me? I was the most hyped guy, I believe. After watching your E3 2015 conference, I was in tears. Todd Howard is THE guy for presenting stuff, Bethesda.

Up to the release, I constantly talked about Fallout 4 when hanging out with my friends. Seriously, I shit you not.

And on the release day, guess what? Customs delayed it, again. 2 days late, this time. But it's okay; as they say, "good things come to those who wait".

I even planned a "Upacara Perasmian", like a ribbon cutting ceremony. Brought a few of my friends to sleepover and watch me play Fallout 4. Bring food, and drinks. It was fun! I felt bad for spending 1 hour designing my character and wife though.

I'm not going to rant on the imperfections of Fallout 4. I'm just gonna say that the dialogue in Fallout 4 falls short. I disapprove of the talking protagonist, I rather love the old style like Fallout 3 & NV. Skyrim too. But having a voiced one, limits my option. And the fact that you guys keep on promoting that my name is significant – no it isn't. Only Codsworth says my name. What the fuck was the point, then?

Despite all of that, I still loved Fallout 4. An absolutely gorgeous game, with a storyline that falls short but still fun to play.

My biggest issue with you, Bethesda, is that you guys ignored your Asian players.

Keep this in mind. Back then when Skyrim released was 2011, a PS3 game cost RM180, around $60. Now, with inflation and our asshole of a Prime Minister, Najib Razak the Corrupt, the value of Ringgit Malaysia falls dramatically. RM180 = $42 only now. Which means, a $60 game = RM260. Yes, a single game for PS4 costs almost 300 bucks. Harsh world.

That being said, I bought the game because I trusted you as a developer and publisher. I know who you guys are. And I love you guys. But Fallout 4 is one of the reasons I won't support you guys financially, anymore.

Immediately after popping the disc into my PS4, I expected a Day One update. Nope, no Day One update. So I thought, maybe a delay? Whatever. I'll just play first with my friends all there.

A week later; find out that there will be a new update for Fallout 4 both on consoles and PC. But somehow... Asia didn't get any updates! Not even the Day One patch!

The fucking bugs. The fucking lag and frame rate drop. The fact that you guys fucking ignored us. There were articles about it, a lot. Some people went on YouTube, ranting about it. Some on Reddit. There DEFINITELY was exposure on it, but you guys didn't do jack shit about it. Didn't release an update, not even informing us whether there will be an update or not.

But the lads in NA, EUR? Oh, they DEFINITELY got the update. I mean, they're your biggest customers right? ;-) It's North America (US and Canada) and Europe, they have a much bigger voice than Asia, right? ;-)

(Note: In case you didn't get it, it was in a sarcastic tone.)

A month later (on the 28th of December, 2015) and suddenly there's an update! I was excited! Finally!

But no. You guys were fucking racist and discriminatory.

You released an update for the Asian region – yes. But why the fuck did you released it in Chinese?

No, NOT EVERYONE IN ASIA SPEAKS CHINESE.

Not only that, the update only fixes a paltry of bugs in the game.

But the fact that the patch notes is in Chinese, infuriates me the most.

Consider this: You went M.I.A on the Asian region. Didn't respond to queries. But NA & EUR was fine. Then you release an update, A MONTH LATE, and its in Chinese. It's like you guys don't even care about us here in Asia.

What's the deal here, Bethesda?

I am a buyer of your product. I basically am one of your contributors to your salary.

But you ditched us.

And with that, I am ditching you too.

I will no longer support you financially after this.

I will only torrent your games. Why should I pay $60 and get ignored by you, while I can torrent up-to-date from other regions for free?

Why should I purchase your recently announced money-grabber-DLCs? I will torrent them!

So, cheers Bethesda! For helping in opening my eyes to save my money. I much rather waste my money on better companies, lets say like Rockstar Games, Paradox Interactive, Valve. But you? Ha! Over my dead body.

Fuck you guys for ignoring us Asians. Fuck you guys for being such big dicks, and this is coming from a long time fan.

Fuck you.

Eat Shit and Die,

IK