Loot Crate, like Nerd Block, is a monthly subscription service. For $13.37 per month (get it? 1337. INTERNET JOKES!) plus $6 shipping (with three and six month plans as well to save a little money) you receive a box filled with a number of themed “geek and gamer” items supposedly retailing for over $40. Shirts CAN be included, but aren’t necessarily included every month. When they are, the print is exclusive to Loot Crate and can be found nowhere else. Loot Crate also includes a collectible pin and book detailing the theme. The book also has articles and interviews related to the theme as well. Each month carries a specific theme that usually matches something happening in pop culture. For instance, one month was “Titans” dedicated to items based on Attack on Titan and Titanfall. When the Xbox One and PS4 were releasing, the box was “Console Wars.” It’s actually pretty neat. Like Nerd Block, Loot Crate selects one subscriber to receive the “Mega Crate” containing over $750 worth of prizes. While you never really know what’s inside, the franchises are usually easy to guess based on the theme and hints dropped by the Loot Crate crew.
Subcribe to Loot Crate here!
Contents of April, 2014’s Loot Crate, as well as my unboxing video are after the jump.
April was not only my first Nerd Block, but also my first Loot Crate. I was initially turned off by Loot Crate’s thematic system, but when I found out that April’s theme was Dragons, I had to subscribe. Dragons have always been a big thing in my life, and after seeing a few friends receive Loot Crate’s, I decided to get in on the action too. While you don’t ALWAYS get a shirt, the price is cheaper, so it balances out in the end. For only $20 shipped, plus a $3 discount on your first crate, I decided to go for it.
April, 2014’s Theme: Dragons
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April’s Loot Crate was actually pretty great for me:
• Loot Crate Issue 09 Booklet
• Loot Crate Dragon Pin
• “Dragon Slayer” dog tag
• Loot Crate Dragon logo phone screen wipe
• Mikey’s Dragon Jerkey
• Loot Crate D20 Stress Dice
• Small D20 Dice
• Loot Crate Exclusive Elder Scrolls Online “The Nord” vinyl figure
• Blind Box Game of Thrones Edition 1 vinyl figure
As you can see, you actually get quite a lot for only $20, especially since Hot Topic wants to charge $12 or so for the Game of Thrones vinyl alone. One of the great things about Loot Crate is that the items aren’t just overstock items tossed in a box, most of them are exclusive to Loot Crate. For instance, The Nord figure, the dog tag, the screen cleaner, and the D20 Stress Dice (and to an extent the jerky) are all exclusive to Loot Crate. It gives more incentive to subscribe to get cool exclusive stuff! I’ve been a Game of Thrones fan since before the books were adapted, and while I haven’t played Online, I’ve enjoyed my time with the various Elder Scrolls games. Of course the D20s are representations of Dungeons & Dragons, and while I don’t play D&D, I play enough dice games to know D20s. With all this in mind, this Loot Crate was definitely tailored to my tastes, and I’m glad I took the plunge when I did. The Nord figure is actually really cool, and while I probably would have been happy with any GoT figure, I’m glad I got a direwolf, especially given it’s Ghost. The screen cleaner is helpful, the jerky is actually good, and everything else is just really cool. Despite the shipping delay being annoying, my first Loot Crate did NOT disappoint.
As with Nerd Block, these are NOT for everyone. While it’s easy to peg what franchises are included based on the theme and images, the items you are getting are still random. However, at only $13.37 before shipping, the price is a bit easier on the wallet (plus shipping is $4 cheaper than Nerd Block thanks to Loot Crate being US based). Plus when you get a crate with a shirt included, the deal is just unbeatable. If you’re bouncing around between Loot Crate and Nerd Block, it’s really hard to say. Nerd Block is REALLY random, and if the thrill of not knowing what you’re gonna get is your kind of thing, Nerd Block is probably the way to go. If you want more structure, less random selection, and a nice thematic surprise, Loot Crate is a great buy. Overall, I’m happy with what we got, and I really dig it.
Next month is “Adventure” with stuff from what appears to be Adventure Time, Minecraft, and The Legend of Zelda. Really excited for that.
CollectorShuki.com