Since announcing the special edition Fallout 4 Pip-Boy edition at E3 earlier this year, publisher Bethesda has struggled to keep them in stock. "As far as stupid gimmicks go, this is the best fucking one I've ever seen," said Todd Howard, the game's director, at the time.
And so it goes, that this particular "stupid gimmick" — a stupid gimmick that commands a $120 asking price, and doesn't come with the game's $30 season pass — has become such a sought after tchotchke. Here's some video from the press conference reveal of the Pip-Boy Edition:
Bethesda sent us one to show off, so we dutifully snapped a bunch of photographs. We'll give this away to a reader later this year! Stay tuned to our Facebook page for details on how we plan to do that but, until then, enjoy the pictures!
This is what you'll be getting on Nov. 10 ... that is, if you were lucky enough to snag one before they sold out. Over and over again.
There's no place like Vault 111. There's no place like Vault 111.
It's hard to take pictures of the shiny wrap that goes around the case, okay?
Now that that's removed ... ahh, much better. It's a handsome looking piece of plastic!
These latches though? They're terrible. You sort of pull them out a little, on both sides, and flip up the middle with your third hand? I guess? I sort of fumbled it open.
I love this sort of thing.
[Ed. note: We did not test the contents for any radioactive emissions, and hope that this surely federally mandated labeling is accurate.]
Okay, so opening it doesn't fill the room with a warm, orange glow. Instead, you get a plastic shell up top and the actual Pip-Boy is nestled in a cocoon of foam.
The plastic shell's contents *revealed*.
Underneath the disc is the original art used during the Fallout 4 reveal. They got some mileage out of that thing!
Just in case you wanted some tips on how to play the game, a few weeks early.
And there it is, the Fallout 4 Pip-Boy.
What kind of Shelf Trophy would this be without a proper display stand?
Those tabs on the cradles match up with some slots on the bottom of the Pip-Boy, to keep your priceless artifact secure.
There are a bunch of foam inserts hidden in the sleeve there.
Rads.
Choose your poison. The smaller pieces on the left are shims, the larger ones on the right are foam wraps to cushion your phone in the Pip-Boy's tray.
This oughta fit my iPhone 6. I'll just go ahead and tuck this aside ...
Here's the latch -- once it's loosened, it separates and comes fully apart.
Like this! That's foam padding inside, and the top half has a velcro harness to strap to your forearm, because if you open this thing it will fall off of you with your $600 phone inside of it, and hey maybe just in case use that velcro strap, OK?
You can open the front of the Pip-Boy by depressing this super secret button.
Wait, that's just some cardboard! That QR code points to the Fallout 4 website, but there's no link to the Pip-Boy app just yet. :-(
iPhone 6 foam insert installed!
... but it definitely didn't fit my iPhone 6. I didn't play with all the other inserts to find one, so I just loosely fit it in here. There are two screen shields, this is Type G.
All closed up, pretty sharp! Now, to put it on my human arm.
I'm all ready for the Wasteland!
[Correction: We previously stated that the Pip-Boy Edition comes with the game's $30 season pass when, what it in fact comes with is an ad for the game's $30 season pass. We've updated the post to reflect that.]
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