Is Fallout 4 Game of the Year Edition Worth It?

Bethesda’s new Fallout 4 Game of the Year Edition is tempting but some of you might be better off skipping it and its special Pip Boy Edition.

Its been over two years since Bethesda first announced Fallout 4 for Xbox One, PS4 and PC but the game is still going strong. Developers continue to pump out free Fallout 4 mods, a new Creation Club with additional downloadable content is on the way, and the Fallout 4 Pip Boy Edition bundle is back.

The company recently announced a Fallout 4 Game of the Year Edition that delivers the base game and all six DLC expansion packs for $60. For $40 more you can secure the GOTY version of Fallout 4 and the elusive Pip Boy accessory that launched alongside the game back in 2015.

If you still haven’t played Fallout 4, the Game of the Year Edition is right up your alley. And if you missed out on a Pip Boy, the Pip Boy Edition is certainly worth a look.

With that said, there are also some reasons to consider waiting, or skipping, Fallout 4 Game of the Year Edition and/or the Pip Boy Edition bundle.

This guide will take you through some of the best reasons to buy and avoid the game as we approach its September 26th release date.

Reasons to Buy Fallout 4 Game of the Year Edition

Let’s start with a few reasons to consider buying Fallout 4 Game of the Year Edition for the Xbox One, PlayStation 4, or Windows PC.

Replay Value is Off the Charts

You get a lot of content for $60.

By now you probably know that Fallout 4 is a huge game with a mind-boggling number of things to do. You could play the game hundred times and each play through will be completely different. The replay value of the base game, sans the DLC, is off the charts.

Just to give you an idea: When we first played the game it took us 20 hours to reach Diamond City, one of the main hubs of the game. It took us around 100 hours to open up a tiny sliver of the map.

In our opinion the base game alone is worth $60. But this isn’t the base game. This is the Game of the Year Edition which means you also get the six DLC expansions Bethesda released over the course of 2016. If you aren’t familiar, take a look at these links:

• Automatron
• Wasteland Workshop
• Far Harbor
• Contraptions Workshop
• Vault-Tec Workshop
• Nuka World

The Workshops are rather small but Automatron, Far Harbor and Nuka World are huge, fun, and vastly different from one another.

On top of all that, you also get access to an extensive library of free mods for PS4, Xbox One, and Windows PC. There are literally thousands to choose from and they allow you to alter your game in a variety of ways.

This summer, Bethesda plans to launch Creation Club which will deliver new downloadable content from its own labs and from its best developer partners. This content will cost real money but it has the potential to extend the game even further.

For many of you, Fallout 4 Game of the Year Edition is a sound investment because of the mileage (quests, settlement building, no level cap, etc, etc, etc) you can get out of it.

There aren’t many games that can match Fallout 4’s replayability.

It’s a Solid Deal

The Fallout 4 Game of the Year Edition, at $60, is actually a good deal.

The base version of Fallout 4 typically hovers around $20-30 at retailers like Amazon. The game’s Season Pass, which nets you all of the game’s DLC, is usually around $40-50. If you were to buy the game and Season Pass from Amazon right now you’d pay $73.30 plus tax.

You can also buy each individual DLC but the best expansions aren’t cheap and we haven’t seen retailers offer many deals. The Far Harbor DLC is $25 on its own while Nuka World is $20.

The Fallout 4 Game of the Year Edition currently gives you the biggest bang for your buck. If you haven’t played Fallout 4 or any of the DLCs, this is the version of the game you’ll probably want to pickup.

You Really, Really Want a Pip Boy

If you want a Pip Boy, we highly recommend putting in a pre-order for the Fallout 4 Game of the Year Edition – Pip Boy Edition.

Bethesda hasn’t said how many units its released but the company has said that it will only be available in “limited quantities” in North America. In other words, another sell out is possible.

If you want a Pip Boy in September and you don’t want to pay a premium to scalpers on eBay and Craigslist, put in an order when you can. If you decide you no longer want it, simply cancel your pre-order before September 26th.

This could be the last time Bethesda releases a Pip Boy Edition so if you want one (and don’t want the expensive Bluetooth version), don’t hesitate.

Reasons Not to Buy Fallout 4 Game of the Year Edition

So those are a few reasons to consider buying the Fallout 4 Game of the Year Edition and Pip Boy bundle. Here are a few reasons to consider holding off.

If You Don’t Have a Lot of Time, Look Elsewhere

Fallout 4 is a good game with insane replay value but that doesn’t mean it’s the right game for everyone.

Some people hate the gameplay. Others can’t stand some of the bugs Bethesda’s failed to fix along the way. Those are legitimate gripes.  One other thing to consider before you buy is the amount of time you have to play the game.

If you don’t have a ton of time to commit to a game Fallout 4 probably isn’t worth the price of admission.

This isn’t a game like Call of Duty or Battlefield where it’s easy to pickup and put down. This is a game where you can literally spend hours fiddling with weapons, armor and components on a workbench.

If you have tons of time to commit to playing video games, that shouldn’t be a problem. If you can only play a few hours a week or if you sometimes go days/weeks/months between gaming sessions, consider taking a rain check.

This fractured kind of play style could take away from the enjoyment and the immersion that makes the game so good. As we’ve noted many times, we ruined Skyrim for ourselves by stopping for a few months. It wasn’t the same.

If you’re unsure about how much time you have to commit to Fallout 4, but really want to give it a go, make sure you don’t pay full price. Find a deal on the base version of the game or on the GOTY.

Most People Don’t Need the Pip Boy

That Pip Boy might be tempting but most of you probably don’t need it.

Let’s just cut to the chase. The Pip Boy is a glorified smartphone case. Most of you won’t wear the Pip Boy while playing Fallout 4. It’s bulky and you don’t need it to use the Pip Boy app for iPhone and Android.

If you’re a collector or you need it for cosplaying, it might be worth the extra $40. But if you’re an average person, there’s a good chance the gadget will start collecting dust within two days of it arriving back at your house.

If you need more feedback, take a look at our review from 2015.

Black Friday Deals?

If you think $60 is too much for Fallout 4 GOTY, wait a few more weeks.

Nothing is certain but there’s a very good chance retailers like Amazon and GameStop will drop the price of the game for Black Friday and the holidays.

We probably won’t see too many price cuts on the Pip Boy Edition, especially if it sells out ahead of its release date, but we should see the game itself drop as we push away from its release date.

keyNuker

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Let's start with one of our favorite PC Fallout 4 mods that quickly made it over to console. keyNuker creates a key ring in your inventory that hides keys and passwords. With it installed, your MISC tab in on your Pip-Boy is going to be a lot more manageable, particularly if you're deep into the game with tons and tons of items listed.  The screenshot here shows you what the vanilla MISC tab looks like compared to the MISC tab with keyNuker installed. It's night and day. This is one of our favorite Fallout 4 mods and one that should consider if you're tired of wasting time scrolling through hundreds (many of them worthless) of items.

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