Fallout Series Lore: What Are Pip-Boys Used For?

Fallout is having its day in the Wasteland sun once again thanks to the smash-hit success of the Prime Video television series. But far from simply a new fad, the franchise is nearly 30 years old with numerous games and plenty of lore under its radiation-proof belt.

Fallout collectibles are also back and bigger than ever, with the crowning achievement perhaps being functional and wearable Pip-Boy replicas — including the New Vegas and Fallout 3-era Pip-Boy 3000 and the TV show Pip-Boy 3000 Mk V, both produced by The Wand Company.

Pip-Boys represent the pinnacle of personal technology in both the Pre-War and Post-War periods. But what exactly do they do, and why are they so iconic? No need to hack a computer terminal for the intel — let’s uncover what Pip-Boys can actually do in the world of Fallout:

• Who created the Pip-Boy?
• Why is it called a Pip-Boy?
• What are Pip-Boys used for?
• Are Pip-Boys permanently attached?
• Is it a Vault Boy or a Pip-Boy?

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Who created the Pip-Boy?

• RobCo Industries first created the Pip-Boy in the Pre-War era.
• RobCo then licensed the Pip-Boy design to Vault-Tec for standard issue in all of its Vaults.

The Fallout games don’t delve into extensive lore about the scientific origins of the Pip-Boy. It is a known fact that RobCo Industries created the first Pip-Boy, and they were used prior to the Great War. No one inventor is credited with its design, although RobCo was under the leadership of Robert House at the time of Pip-Boy development. They are powered by fission batteries and run on the proprietary Pip-OS software.

Throughout the games and television series, they’re standard issue equipment for all Vault Dwellers residing in one of Vault-Tec’s many hidden bunkers. Vault-Tec licensed the technology from RobCo in order to achieve this widespread adoption. The television series even shows the initial rarity of Pip-Boys being deployed in the corporate Vault-Tec workforce, adopted by scientists, administrators, and more.

Pip-Boys are shown capable of communication, calculation, and other helpful computing functions prior to their essential deployment in the Vaults. In the Post-War period, use of the devices also spread to places and factions like the Free States (Fallout 76) as Vault Dwellers initiated Reclamation Day and the technology’s original owners were killed or robbed by raiders.

The Wand Company made Pip-Boy collectibles you can wear!

For fans looking to collect their own official Pip-Boy replica, the latest with built-in screen functionality have been created by The Wand Company, known for their high-fidelity prop replicas.

Sideshow currently has the Pip-Boy 3000 replica in-stock and available, based on the design seen in Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas. The Pip-Boy prop has a light-up, interactive screen with differing displays for F3 and FNV. Toggle player health, your skills, your S.P.E.C.I.A.L. levels, inventory, quest logs, and more. It even includes a flashlight, a Morse code light function, and an FM radio!

The Pip-Boy 3000 Mk V, based on the Prime Video series, is currently sold out.

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Why is it called a Pip-Boy?

• PIP is actually an acronym standing for Personal Information Processor.
• It was named Pip-Boy to match the naming of Vault-Tec’s mascot, Vault Boy.

Despite being stylized as “Pip-Boy,” the letters PIP are actually an acronym for Personal Information Processor. In short, it’s a fancy personal computer!

Different models of Pip-Boy have numerical tags to indicate which edition they are. In franchise lore, this has included the Model 1.0, 2000, 2000 Mk VI, 3000, 3000 Mk IV, and 3000 Mk V. A never-released game also featured assets for a Super Pip-Boy and a Lil’ Pip 3000.

Dedicated fans of Fallout and all of its memeable moments may also recall the “Pimp-Boy 3 Billion,” a unique quest reward obtainable in Fallout: New Vegas. The Pimp-Boy is “pimped out” with what appears to be gold plating and jewel-encrusted accents. But I’m sure any RobCo representative would tell you, that device is certainly not officially licensed.

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What are Pip-Boys used for?

• Pip-Boys are a series of wearable personal computers in the world of Fallout.
• They have versatile functionality, with many purposes depending on the model, including computing, radio communication, GPS tracking, and more.
• In-game, Pip-Boys are used for players to access their menu of stats, inventory, quest logs, and other essential gameplay functions.

The short answer: Pip-Boys are used for just about anything. Diegetically, they are the way in which a player interacts with most standard gameplay functions, including their inventory and quest reminders as well. Their full functionality varies by between the games and the television series, as well as by model.

What features does a Pip-Boy have?

• Geiger counter
• Flashlight
• Radio
• Compass
• Holotape player
• Gaming compatibility — for video games like Atomic Command and Red Menace
• Sonar and satellite tracking
• Regional mapping
• Health and vital readings
• Voice recording/communication
• Biometric lock
• And more!

The Fallout series is ever-evolving, revealing more functionality for this iconic video game equipment. In the television show, Pip-Boys are also seen with adapters for interfacing with Vault door technology, removable tracking devices, and even more Vault-specific needs like the submission and approval of Lucy MacLean’s marriage application.

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Are Pip-Boys permanently attached?

• No, Pip-Boys are removable personal computers that attach over the wrist via a biometric locking clasp.
• There are no fully biological connections between a wearer and their Pip-Boy, although Pip-Boys can provide health readings for the user.

Since Pip-Boys are so commonly seen on characters throughout the Fallout universe, it might make sense to think they’re permanently attached to the user. They can give personalized health readings, after all. But a Pip-Boy is removable, the same as a fancy wristwatch might be. For example, in Fallout 4, your character obtains their Pip-Boy by removing it from the corpse of a Vault-Tec representative who has since perished in Vault 111.

Pip-Boys typically have a biometric lock securing the device to the owner’s forearm. They require no fully biological connections, injections, or physical bonding to a user, though many are registered to a specific individual by name. Some models have plush padding within the wrist as well, making it a more comfortable accessory to carry around.

The prop replica Pip-Boy collectibles from The Wand Company have a secure locking clasp and are designed to come with extender bars to help the device fit larger wrists.

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Is a Vault Boy the same as a Pip-Boy?

• Vault Boy is the blonde cartoon mascot of Vault-Tec.
• Vault Boy is also a larger mascot for the Fallout franchise in general.
• The word “Boy” was added to the name of Pip-Boys to match Vault-Tec’s mascot.
• RobCo created a Pip-Boy mascot, called Pip-Boy, but he’s different than Vault Boy. (Trust us.)

When you think of Fallout as a franchise, the first image in your mind is likely the blonde, smiling mascot of Vault-Tec. Vault Boy is the name of this cheerful little character who is perpetually giving players a big thumbs-up. He has become the face of the game series as well as in-world safety manuals and nuclear propaganda.

However, before Vault Boy, there was technically also a mascot character called Pip-Boy, who had red hair and more elfin features. Pip-Boy (also called Vault Boy 2000) was a RobCo-created character seen on the Pip-Boy 2000 model of computer seen in the games Fallout, Fallout 2, and Fallout 76.

Still, Vault Boy eclipsed his predecessor in popularity and iconic nature. And since you’re most often playing as a Vault Dweller (or someone who got their Pip-Boy from a Vaultie like in FNV), you’re likely to associate his chipper blue-and-yellow aesthetic with the device.

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Do you already own a Pip-Boy prop replica? If not, be sure to check out the Pip-Boy 3000 by The Wand Company!

What’s your favorite in-world game to play on the Pip-Boy during your Fallout playthroughs? Join the conversation with other Fallout fans over at Sideshow Social Network or in side.show/geekgroup, and don’t forget to Let Your Geek Sideshow!