My newest obsession is Funko’s Pop! collection of adorably geeky vinyl toys that now adorn my bookshelf. In order to curb my buy-all-the-things desires, I decided to limit myself to one representative from each of my favourite fandoms. My collection has already blossomed to include Panthro from Thundercats, Garrus Vakarian from Mass Effect, Brienne of Tarth from Game of Thrones, Starcraft’s Queen of Blades, DC’s Harley Quinn, and more. The pièce de résistance is a signed exclusive Stan Lee doll from this summer’s Fan Expo Canada. I really wanted a Groot, but the Guardian’s of the Galaxy hero was no where to be found at the convention.
Fortunately, with her August “Heroes” Loot Crate, my friend Tiara has come to my rescue, sacrificing her Groot in exchange for the Deadpool and signed Stan Lee dolls I picked up for her. You might think this is an uneven exchange, but perhaps you don’t understand my Groot feels or how our friendship works.
Anyway, we got to chatting about her monthly Loot Crates, something that I have been very, very tempted to get in on, but the subscription fee (and the fact that I’m Canadian, which makes everything that much more expensive) gives me pause.
What’s a Loot Crate, you ask? Think of it as Christmas every month for “those that embrace the geek and gaming lifestyle.” The company describes their monthly delivery as “a product discovery box, connecting our subscribers, known as Looters, with the best new and emerging companies producing gear, snacks, toys, hardware, art, and other goodies for the geek and gaming market.”
The community of Looters has grown rapidly through social media, with recipients eagerly asking “WHAT’S IN THE BOX????” as Loot Crate teases with tweets and emails right up to delivery.
“Then it’s kinda like geeky Oprah,” explains Tiara. “GUESS WHAT’S IN YOUR BOOOOOOOOOX? AND YOU GET A GROOT! AND YOU GET A GROOT! AND EVERYONE GETS A GROOT!”
The novelty goodies range from little key chains to funky t-shirts, plus Funko dolls, comics, and more, all based on a theme.
“This month is all about the spooky, creepy and scary parts of your favorite geek & gaming franchises. October’s crate will be packed with scare-iffic coolness, including exclusive items you won’t find anywhere else. And that’s not all: Anticipate the return of a t-shirt to join several other epic items within our FEAR crate! We’re DEAD-icated to delivering an awesome crate this month.”
On top of the regular monthly create, one subscriber could score a second Mini Crate with more goodies, or a Mega Crate, containing prizes worth upwards of $700. In fact, this month’s Mega Crate goes above and beyond, including a gaming PC valued at over $2000.
Plus a recent tweet promised a Sharknado surprise… I… I… have a mighty need….
No. No, I can’t justify the cost of monthly epic loot, no matter how epic that loot might be. BUT! I can share in Tiara’s ritual unboxing! Curious about the goodies in this month’s FEAR crate? Check out some of them below… Spoiler warning, if you’re still waiting for your crate.
Got my @lootcrate today. Husband and I had a nice long chuckle over the shirt. Good job, guys.— Dawn of the Dredd (@digitaltempest) October 23, 2014
Are you a Looter? What did you think of the Halloween haul?
