MatPat, a Game Theory host, explores the value of bottle caps in the Fallout universe. Inspired by a fan, GatorMacheteJr, who sent 2,240 bottle caps to Bethesda to preorder Fallout 4, MatPat delves into the math behind the value of bottle caps. He uses the in-game gold standard to estimate the value of a bottle cap, first converting it to 1961 US dollars, where it's worth $1.67. Then, he converts it to 2015 US dollars, where it's worth $52.
However, when he uses real-world steel prices to estimate the value of a bottle cap, he finds that a single cap is worth less than a cent. This means GatorMacheteJr overpaid for his preorder by a significant amount. Despite this, MatPat praises GatorMacheteJr's dedication and creativity, and the episode ends with a humorous tone, recommending NatureBox snacks to viewers.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. Bethesda announced Fallout 4 at E3, with a release date of November 10th.
2. A fan named Seth (GatorMacheteJr) sent 2,240 bottle caps to Bethesda to preorder the game.
3. The Fallout series takes place in an alternate universe where World War 2 never ended.
4. In the Fallout universe, a nuclear war occurred in 2077, wiping out civilization.
5. Humans in the Fallout universe use bottle caps as currency.
6. The value of bottle caps is backed by water, a valuable resource in the post-apocalyptic world.
7. In Fallout: New Vegas, gold bars can be collected and sold for 10,539 caps each.
8. The weight of a gold bar in Fallout is 35 pounds, which is equivalent to 510 troy ounces.
9. The gold bars in Fallout are made of pure 24-karat gold (999.9%).
10. In 1961, the cost of gold was $35 per troy ounce.
11. Using the 1961 value of gold, each bottle cap would be worth $1.67.
12. In today's economy, gold costs $1,095 per troy ounce.
13. Using the current value of gold, each bottle cap would be worth $52.
14. Seth paid 2,240 bottle caps for Fallout 4, which would be equivalent to $116,480 in today's economy.
15. Crown Holdings, the company that originally made the bottle caps featured in the game, informed the author that the caps were made of 100% carbon steel in 1961.
16. The current market price of steel is $100 per metric tonne (approximately 2,204 pounds).
17. The weight of a single steel bottle cap is between 160-190 milligrams (approximately 0.005 pounds).
18. Using the current market price of steel, the value of 1 US dollar is equivalent to 57,142 bottle caps.
19. A $60 pre-order for Fallout 4 would be worth approximately 3,428,571 bottle caps.
20. Seth paid less than a tenth of a percent of what he would need for a straight trade, equivalent to approximately 4 cents for the game.