Fallout 3 Survival Edition is a Huge Waste of Money
by Dan Landis on October 30, 2008 at 11:32 am
Some of you may instantly reply “Duh!” to that headline, but as a fan of the Fallout series, I wanted to get it all. The Amazon exclusive ‘Survival Edition’ was a pre-order special that cost a whopping $129.99 — that’s right, a full fifty bucks more than the Collector’s Edition. While the package itself is quite nice, the only thing you get in the Survival Edition that you don’t get in the Collector’s Edition is the Pip-Boy clock, and therein lies my problem.
We did an article recently describing how limited/collector’s/special editions tend to lose their value at a much slower rate than standard edition games, and sometimes actually increase in value like their name implies they should. Amazon’s Survival Edition was exclusive to people who pre-ordered the game from their website. That was the only place you were ever going to get it.
Considering the assumed limited quantity, some people seem to have purchased it with the intent of reselling as there have already been listings of the Survival Edition at a jacked-up price, like $300. I, on the other hand, bought it because I was a fan and I wanted that Pip-Boy!
For an extra $50, I assumed the Pip-Boy was going to be awesome. It’s not. While it might be awesome for a cosplayer since it has a hinge and can be snapped onto your arm (not my arm, for I’m way too buff), its only option is to be battery powered — there is no way to plug it in.
So here you have a digital clock that looks like a Pip-Boy, and all it’s really good for is telling time. It sits on its poorly crafted ‘display stand’ (I broke a piece putting it together) and that’s it. It doesn’t even have an alarm. While you may be thinking “What did you expect?”, quite honestly I expected more than a cheap ‘replica’ of a Pip-Boy made out of toy-gun plastic if I was being charged $50 for it. How about some metal or high-quality resin.
Everything else in the title picture is part of the Collector’s Edition, which was $79.99. The only thing you get extra in the Survival Edition is the Pip-Boy. Amazon no longer sells the Survival Edition (and you can’t even read the description any more), so those of you who may have thought that you missed out should rest easy knowing that you didn’t… at all. The Collector’s Edition contains everything you should want, especially the game, and is a much better deal. I would have been much happier if I had purchased it instead — the bobblehead and lunchbox are pretty sweet.
I am actually envious that you have me to tell you to not be me and waste that money. And yes, that sentence totally made sense.
UPDATE: I thought it was just me, but commenter Koreeth had the same problem, so I’m assuming it’s more widespread. In addition to the cheapy crapness that encompasses the Pip-Boy clock, it also manages to burn through those only-power-option batteries in a week. That’s bullshit. Now every time I look at it, I expect the display to read “Sucker”… and maybe it would if it could only hold a charge long enough.
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14 Comments » |
on October 30, 2008 2:09 pm
i agree absolutely, the game is also a big waste of money.
on October 30, 2008 3:06 pm
I had this edition preordered but I cancelled it at the last minute because I was low on cash and it did seem like a big waste. The game isn’t a waste though it kicks ass
on October 30, 2008 4:07 pm
At least it won’t go the way of the Halo 3 Legendary bundle. Gamestops and Best Buys alike are STILL trying to get rid of that thing. I was thinking of picking one up since they’re down to $80. Sucks to be the guy that paid $130 for that.
on October 30, 2008 4:47 pm
I got the survival edition. It mad me very very sad. It was on its way back to Amazon within 90 minutes of it arriving. I didn’t even open the DVD case. The Pip Boy was a major disappointment. I posted a long review at Amazon, so I won’t go into it here.
I’m a long time fan of Fallout. It’s very upsetting that Bethesda would issue this junk. At this point, I just hope Amazon accepts the return and refunds my money. (I clearly stated that the return was due to the product not meeting the expected quality, so they can’t argue about me breaking the shrink wrap… it’s implied that I would have to inspect for quality.) For the last two sentences, I can read my own disappointment. Maybe you can, too. At any rate, I sent it back for a refund. If Amazon balks, I’ll call up my credit card company and sic them on Amazon. I love Amazon, though, and I hope it’s not a big deal.
The whole thing makes me sad. I’ve lost faith in Bethesda. Their games are good, but at this point I’ve lost interest in anything else.
It’s a rush job, I’m afraid. The game’s got some bugs and the pip boy is a piece of junk. I’ve been much more excited about some Happy Meal toys – heck, I’ve been more excited about reusable plastic cups from McDonalds – than I was about the pip boy. :(
on October 30, 2008 5:08 pm
Err… wait. I’m no longer so depressed. Or maybe I’m even more depressed, to the point I think I’m not. I just went to Amazon to go add the $50 edition to my wish list, when lo and behold, I discover that half the reviewers have given the game 1 star. The SecureROM protection has locked 44 people (and counting) out of the game. They can’t even play it.
These reviews didn’t start appearing until people went home with their FedExed copies from Amazon’s pre-order and tried to play it.
I’m not sure if I should feel happy or sad for Bethesda now. As long as SecureROM is installed, I’m not going to buy the game. Shame on them. But, at the same time, I’m concerned now about their future. How bad will this all get? Will it cause them to drop Fallout in the future? Will it affect other games?
Darn. I’m confused.
on October 30, 2008 6:14 pm
No that sentence does not make sense. Please make sure to go back and add commas (,) where they are due!
on October 30, 2008 6:19 pm
Yes, that sentence absolutely makes sense. I am quite confident that there are no commas needed since I typed the sentence with my +1 Keyboard of Grammatical Excellence, and it would not have let me type it incorrectly.
on October 30, 2008 8:29 pm
I recall thinking what a waste of money it was when I bought Steel battallion on the old Xbox, then these so called “collectors editions” for $150 started to flood the market and I figured I actually got a deal.
on October 30, 2008 8:56 pm
Yea “duh”! I’m a huge Fallout fan and you should have known better than to think Bethesda would do Fallout any justice including with it’s “special editions”. Those things are made for console gamers who love that crap just for the hell of it. They are the easiest people to market to. If you said pay $20 more for a “special edition” that included an exclusive “DVD cover” they would buy that up in a heart beat.
on October 31, 2008 6:49 am
that sentence did make sense i know because im so awesome, lolek what are yout talking about the game rocks, go play hello kitty island adventure might be more your thing, shame about the pip boy i was going to get it, collectors edition rocks though, the pip boy head thing is just awesome, as well as the lunch box and art, well its all gooood.
on October 31, 2008 7:32 am
Haha Here in the Uk Its £45 for the game plus all that except the clock that’s about $90 Uk’s Don’t get the clock. I got it for £35 or $70. You my friend got ripped off its pretty decent for the extra £5/$10 and if u disagree I still paid £10 less that most of you who got the game alone.
I’d go see amazon about that looks like you paid $60 More than UK just to get an added clock.
on October 31, 2008 7:35 am
I got it all for £35 or $70 cause my Gf works in a gameshop its usual price for everything except the clock it £45 or $90 Just in case I confused.
on November 17, 2008 6:39 pm
Unfortunately I bought the Survival edition and kept it when I should have sent it back as well.
Due to the clock/pipboy, the game has worked fine for me.
The clock on the other hand burns through 3 AA batteries a week. That is just sad. I thought at first that I had installed old batteries the first time. The second set lasted 9 days.
The Pipboy now justs sits here looking ugly. They could have at least used a darker plastic overlay so you would not see the LCD array when it is not lit up.
on November 18, 2008 12:43 am
Yes, Koreeth. I thought it was just me, but my PIPBoy also burned through its batteries in a week. I thought about updating the post, but I never put in a second set to see if it would do it again. I’m so very disappointed with what could have been an awesome little collector’s item. What a shame.