I just stumbled across this one guy on eBay that has NINE COPIES of the Pip-Boy Edition (3 of each format) which is selling for for 250 UK pounds (it should sell for 100).

Why the frak do gaming distributors not limit purchases to one (or maybe two) per customer to stop this outrageous scalping. I'm lucky in that I got my copy but there are a lot of peeps that are going to have to pay stupid money or do without.

This is capitalism at its worst!

Some stores/distributors were limiting to one per customer, some weren't. But frankly what's to stop someone buying from multiple distributors?

Well, at the most basic level..... why would they care? As long as they get the money for the 100 (or whatever) copies they sold, it's all the same to them. The only thing they have to watch out for is bad PR, and this kind of stuff (no matter how angry a few dozen people get on the 'Net) doesn't seem to cause the generalized outrage needed for a corporation to really notice.

Beyond that - the scalpers will find a way. Are they buying from a chain? Okay, they can go to several different stores and buy one at each. If the chain actually did something crazy like taking down people's information into a unified-across-the-country database to track purchases, the scalpers would just buy from multiple chains (Gamestop, Best Buy, Target, etc).

I think that if people are free to spend 100 stupid moneys, then other people are free to spend 250 stupidmoneys or free to spend x number of 100 stupid moneys ... or free to spend nothing at all.

Yeah... I guess you are right. It just pees me off when I see stuff like this. I lucked out and got in before they ran out (and I nearly didn't but I am a big Fallout fan so said "sod it" and ordered). I will probably not use it for the game but instead will end up modding it so it doesn't look so cheap and shiny plastic like. This is supposed to be a 200 year old device after all. I love modding stuff.

Any reseller worth their feedback rating would have gotten their supply straight from the store before it ever went on sale. It's only Joe Public who was subject to a pre order limit.

I don't feel like we can begrudge them for doing what they do as there is a secondary market for everything. The fault lies with Bethesda for not anticipating more than a few thousand players might be interested in acquiring a PipBoy of their own and arranging manufacturing that could accomodate that number. Maybe for FO5 they can go on Shark Tank and get some help with that

On the other hand, enough geek desperation enough places, will drive hypetrains and generate PR for free.

I have read that more than a few people are having problems with the pipboy edition, and having encountered no end myself, I thought i would do a little research. It has been enlightening.

Most people are putting the blame in the wrong place.

Firstly, Bethesda vastly underestimated how popular it would be. They did no research, just decided on an arbitary number for release. The original release number has been expanded, but only by a nominal amount, as the November date precludes time to manufacture and distribute.

Neither Bethesda nor any 'in country' resellers put in place any limits on the numbers of units people could order. This meant that when the initial release went up, many people ordered multiple copies. I was told by an employee of bethesda that many individuals had ordered dozens of copies. All of these of course, just end up on Ebay at two or three times the release price, and us the fans, get royally sc*****'d. Unfortunately many will buy from ebay and make sure that these opportunistic snakes continue to ruin limited releases for evermore.

Regarding Game UK, and cancelled orders, they are for a number of reasons. Non UK residents have had their orders cancelled as Bethesda reseller agreements prevent them selling across territories. While this should have been clear at the time of order, they are now rectifying their error. They are also now reviewing multi orders and cancelling ones that they deem are for resale, although they wont say what the parameters are. Regaining a little face...maybe.

So in short, Bethesda didnt plan numbers, didnt plan or limit the release, and continue to show contempt for their fans by not really explaining to us all what is really going on.

Go Bethesda! great job!

DONT BUY THIS FROM EBAY!

if we dont buy, the pre orders will get cancelled and resold through legitimate channels, and maybe just maybe Bethesda and others will think about the fans next time instead of just the bottom line!

It's important to note that this guy doesn't actually have nine pipboy editions. He's selling nine, but he doesn't actually have them because they haven't shipped yet - so he's just selling a promise. Since some retailers are going back and cancelling orders, he may wind up selling a promise he can't keep - even if he ever had those nine copies reserved in the first place.

How many copies is there/where sold of the pip boy edition?

Why is everyone blaming Bethesda for the shortage? are they suppose to keep making thousands of thousands more of them, so that the people that wanted to wait to the last minute could get one. that's not how limited editions usually work. They usually sell out rather fast. And you can't blame the developer for not making more. quality would slip if they did that. I don't like how people sell them on eBay either. but you can't blame Bethesda for that. A noticed a few times though out the week when it got announced that they were getting restocked of some websites.

Not Bethesda's role to control release of these all the way down the spy chain.

Or opportunism at it's best. I salute this person wheresoever they may be.