Although Bethesda hasn't shown a great interest in offering many pre-order bonuses for Fallout 4, there are still enough for fans of the series to hunt down.
Bethesda did offer a collector's edition of the game that included a replica Pip Boy. However, as expected, that edition sold out fast. Of course, that hasn't stopped gamers from grabbing it for a considerable amount of money on eBay.
For Fallout fans just wanting the average pre-order perks (pun intended), many retailers offer goodies in the form of both digital and physical merchandise. Here's a full list of Fallout 4 pre-order bonuses.
Best Buy: Fallout socks
Probably the strangest bonus available to those who pre-purchase Fallout 4 comes from Best Buy, who, obviously, struggled with what to offer with its special Fallout 4 bundle. In the end, the large retailer decided that everyone's most dreaded Christmas present - socks - was worthy of those who pre-ordered Fallout 4, because why not?
Granted, these are probably much cooler socks than you'd ever get from your grandmother, and they feature the Fallout boy. Plus, winter is on its way, so these socks should keep your feet warm during the chilly months ahead. And who doesn't need socks?
The Fallout 4 Bundle from Best Buy retails for $89.99, but don't worry, because that price also includes the season pass for all upcoming Fallout 4 DLC. That basically makes the socks free, but they're still not as interesting as something like an action figure or digital codes for in-game content.
Amazon/GameStop: Vault-Tec perk poster
Fortunately, those choosing to forego the socks and special bundle from Best Buy have other options. Every pre-order of Fallout 4 on disk ships with a physical poster that features all the perks in the game in full retro color glory. Both Amazon and GameStop list this poster as a pre-order perk, but sites do state that this is a limited offer: if you're wanting this cool poster, better jump on the pre-order bandwagon now.
Bethesda recently explained how its perks system works. Considering that the title also doesn't have level caps, a player could gain every single perk, given enough game time. Having a full list on an awesome poster would make deciding which perk to add next a little more interesting, right?
"Through the many years of Fallout 4 development, and the countless hours of playtesting, we think you're going to love this system in action," wrote Bethesda on its blog. "We experimented with other systems, but found this one to be the most flexible and intuitive. Balancing all of the ranks, their individual efficacy, SPECIAL rank, and player level has been a huge task. We hope you enjoy it as much as we do, and share your character choices and playstyles with us once the game is out. We can't wait for you to play."
Steam: Mr. Handy announcer pack for Dota 2
Don't worry, PC players: those who buy the game on Steam will also get a special bonus, especially if they are also fans of Dota 2. Bethesda is bringing those two gaming communities together by offering an announcer pack for Dota 2 with Mister Handy for everyone who pre-orders Fallout 4 via Steam.
For those not in the know, Mister Handy is one of the floating robots from Fallout 4, similar to previous robots seen in other Fallout games. Usually, these robots say some pretty funny things and often resort to sarcasm.
Dota 2 is a free-to-play multiplayer arena game developed by Valve Software, who also owns Steam.
With this pre-order, Mister Handy replaces the default announcer in Dota 2. Players who pre-order Fallout 4 should expect Mister Handy to become available to them in mid-November, before the release of Fallout 4. So this is a pre-order bonus that you get before the game.
Xbox One: Fallout 3
Attention, Xbox One players. Pre-orders of the Xbox One edition of Fallout 4, regardless of retailer, gets an additional bonus: a download code for a free version of Fallout 3. This is another limited offer, though, and could get cut off at any given moment, so if you're looking to snag Fallout 3 with Fallout 4, it's time to hit that "buy" button.
Those who order Fallout 4 from the Xbox Store get the code sent within a week's time. Other retailers will offer the code when the physical copy of the game ships or when picked up in a store.
There's also an additional bonus of ordering Fallout 4 from the Xbox Store: you can download the game early, although it won't become playable until the release date (November 10). But downloading the game early saves you from the frustration of waiting for the download on the day of release, right?
GameStop: Xbox One Fallout 4 faceplate
Some gamers still haven't upgraded their consoles to next-generation yet, but if they want to play Fallout 4 on a console, they'll have to. GameStop plans on taking advantage of that, creating an opportunity to sell Xbox Ones with copies of Fallout 4 by offering a Xbox One 1TB Fallout 4 Bundle.
The Bundle comes with everything you'd expect: a console and a copy of Fallout 4. However, the bundle also includes Fallout 3 and an exclusive custom Xbox One Fallout 4 faceplate.
"Own the Xbox One Fallout 4 Bundle, featuring a 1TB hard drive, Fallout 4, and a full-game download of Fallout 3," writes Gamestop on its website. "Experience the next generation of open-world gaming from Bethesda Game Studios, the award-winning creators of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim."
The bundle, which retails for $399.99, is available now for pre-order on Gamestop's website. For those players ready to jump into next-generation gaming, here's your chance.
Dell Black Friday Xbox One Bundle
Black Friday comes shortly after the release of Fallout 4, so it makes sense that at least one retailer would jump at the chance to bundle a console with the game and offer it as a deal. A recently leaked ad by Dell features just such a bundle, which includes a 500 GB Xbox One, along with a copy of Fallout 4 and Gears of War. The bundle also includes an extra controller and headset.
What's perhaps best about this particular deal, though, is the price: $299.99. Considering that the Xbox One by itself retails for around $345, that's virtually a steal.
Of course, this is a Black Friday deal, so those interested will have to act fast because it's a sure bet this one will sell out quickly. This isn't exactly a pre-order bonus, but if you want to take your chances, you might want to wait for Black Friday.
Fallout 4 releases on Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC on November 10.
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