Bethesda’s Pip-Boy 3000 Replica Comes Alive as a Wearable Relic from the Wasteland

Bethesda Softworks has revealed a full-size reproduction of the Pip-Boy 3000, the tattered wrist computer that let you traverse the post-apocalyptic wasteland of Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas. They collaborated with The Wand Company, a group recognized for transforming game props into real-world gadgets. To build this stunning piece, they worked directly from the original 3D model. Pre-orders opened last week, bringing fans back into the series’ harsh world just before the second season of the Prime Video drama is ready to begin. At $299.99, you get a lot of nostalgia, and it’s set to ship next June.

The team who worked on it dug deep into Bethesda’s archives to create it. They employed high-poly renders from Art Director Istvan Pely to get the desired look, while the engineers at The Wand Company tried to recreate the original’s size and shape down to the worn-off edges and battle scars. The front panel is constructed of die-cast metal with a gunmetal finish and is designed to be damaged and chipped with time, just like the thing in the game. The body is composed of injection-molded ABS plastic, which stops the device from feeling too light for its own good (it weighs 724 grams). They’ve also incorporated a memory foam lining in the cuff that is adjustable with a spacer to ensure it fits your wrist perfectly and doesn’t dig into you after an hour or two.

The display is a 4-inch IPS LCD screen that has been altered to look like an antique CRT television. The scanlines crawl across the screen, and the machine occasionally glitches out, all of which serve as a good hint to the gadget’s mythical fragility. You may even reset it like an old television by tapping or shaking it. Users may choose between the crisp green interface of Fallout 3 and the warmer yellow tones of New Vegas by twisting a dial. The tactile scroll wheels and knobs will feel extremely familiar to anyone who has played the game. There are almost 2,200 menu entries inside, all of which are authentic to the source material.

But it’s not simply a static show; there’s much more to this than meets the eye. The Atomic Command minigame is entirely playable right on the wrist, with you fending off missiles while attempting to defend marks. A back LED spotlight is also included, which is powerful enough to cut through a dark room, making it ideal for late-night scavenging or cosplay parties. The audio plugs in via a 3.5 mm headphone socket, allowing you to hear the spooky Fallout sound design straight in your ears. Finally, there’s an incredibly dim night mode, which transforms the device into a soothing alarm clock when you need it to wake you up.

One sensor replicates radiation detection in a novel way. When you point the device at an FM radio broadcast, the screen displays meter readings and a beeping Geiger counter. There is no genuine fallout, as radio waves are only used for entertainment. When pointed toward a microwave, it takes up feeble signals as well, adding another degree of false peril. These additions maintain it in the Fallout universe while avoiding genuine danger.

A rechargeable lithium-polymer battery provides power, which may be charged via USB-C for several hours of use or left on standby indefinitely. The stand, which is machined from aluminum and etched with the Vault-Tec emblem, glows orange when charging and projects the logo like an old-world beacon. Set it on your desk, and the Pip-Boy becomes a talking point, with the screen idling through diagnostic loops.