E3 2016 - Bethesda Unveils Pip-Boy Deluxe Bluetooth Edition

Published: June 13, 2016 12:40 PM /

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Bethesda Pip-Boy Deluxe Bluetooth Edition

Bethesda has unveiled the new Pip-Boy Deluxe Bluetooth Edition and has made it available for pre-purchase.

The Pip-Boy Deluxe Bluetooth Edition will be a Limited Edition with only 5,000 total units available and was created for Bethesda by Thinkgeek. The new Pip-Boy will be priced at $350 and limited to two per customer. Furthermore, the Pip-Boy Deluxe Bluetooth Edition will only be available in the United States, Canada, and Australia.

Bethesda previously showcased a Pip-Boy for the deluxe edition of Fallout 4 at their E3 conference in 2015. However, that particular unit was an elaborate case to hold your smartphone and was intended to work with the Pip-Boy App on Google Play and iTunes. The Pip-Boy Deluxe Bluetooth Edition will be a standalone unit with its own screen and internal hardware that can connect to your phone via Bluetooth technology.

Now you can ignore Preston Garvey in the game AND in the real world!
Now you can ignore Preston Garvey in the game AND in the real world!

The Bluetooth functionality will allow the Pip-Boy Deluxe Bluetooth Edition to access your contacts. You can receive (but not send) SMS messages and play your audio files on the built-in stereo speakers. It can also be used to place and take calls. When it is not linked with the phone it will still have some level of functionality including an alarm clock as well as displays of the Status, Special, and Perk screens from the game. There's no word on exactly how much detail will be involved in these particular built-in functions.

Most of the various dials, knobs, and buttons are all stated to be functional, although Bethesda has taken care to state that "a few are decorative". The holotape drive includes a USB drive shaped like a holotape, and Bethesda has lightheartedly assured customers that this particular Pip-Boy doesn't come with any "nasty biometric seals"

The included stand will be pulling double duty as a charging station, and it will allow for increased speaker output when the Pip-Boy Deluxe Bluetooth Edition is plugged in. The entire package will ship in a branded "Capsule-Case-inspired" tin that's similar in appearance to ammunition canisters.

Lastly, Bethesda has noted that the Pip-Boy Deluxe Bluetooth Edition does not interface with the game the same way that the Pip-Boy app does. This is a standalone prop that can integrate with your phone via Bluetooth.

The estimated shipping date for the Pip-Boy Deluxe Bluetooth Edition is November 11th, 2016. Pre-orders will be immediately charged to your credit card, and Bethesda has cautioned customers that the shipping date is subject to change without notice.


Quick Take

The Pip-Boy is such an iconic item from the Fallout universe and it always baffled me that they never got around to making it a product that you could purchase on its own. This particular unit is a step in the right direction and a fun idea, but I have to wonder if the offered functionality is really worth the price of $350. I think not including the ability to interface the Pip-Boy Deluxe Bluetooth Edition with the game is a bit of a misstep and likely diminishes its usefulness. Still, I'm sure this will be a desirable purchase for collectors and cosplayers alike.

What do you think of this new Pip-Boy? Would you consider buying it if you missed getting a Deluxe Edition of Fallout 4 when it was released? If you already own a Pip-Boy, do you think this is a worthwhile enough upgrade to buy it? Let us know in the comments below!

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A photograph of TechRaptor Senior Writer Robert N. Adams.
| Senior Writer

One of my earliest memories is playing Super Mario Bros. on the Nintendo Entertainment System. I've had a controller in my hand since I was 4 and I… More about Robert N