Should You Give the Platinum Chip to Mr. House in Fallout: New Vegas?
Deciding whether to hand over the Platinum Chip to Mr. House in Fallout: New Vegas is a pivotal choice that significantly shapes the game’s narrative and ending. There’s no simple yes or no answer; it depends entirely on your desired outcome and your character’s moral compass. Giving the chip to Mr. House is a crucial step in his questline, opening a pathway to his unique ending, but it also comes with consequences. Let’s delve into the details to help you make an informed decision.
The Implications of Giving the Chip to Mr. House
Upgrading the Securitrons
The primary reason Mr. House desires the Platinum Chip is to upgrade his securitrons, the robotic guards patrolling the New Vegas Strip. This upgrade transforms them from relatively weak combatants to formidable foes, enhancing his control over the city and its surrounding areas. It’s a significant step towards establishing his envisioned “order,” which some might view as necessary, while others might see it as oppressive.
A Step Towards His Vision
By giving him the chip, you’re essentially endorsing Mr. House’s plan for the future of New Vegas. He views the wasteland as something to be tamed, believing his intellect and vision are the best hope for humanity’s progress, even if it means absolute rule under his authority. If you believe in a highly structured, technologically advanced future, Mr. House’s vision might resonate with you.
The Path to His Ending
Handing over the chip initiates a chain of events that eventually leads to the Mr. House ending. This path involves a series of quests and decisions that ultimately result in him gaining absolute control over New Vegas. It’s an ending characterized by technological advancement and order, but it’s often at the expense of personal freedom and individual autonomy.
Potential Betrayal
It’s important to note that even after giving him the chip, you are not bound to his ending. The game allows you to betray Mr. House later, specifically when you begin to disagree with his methods or long-term goals. He gives the chip back to you several times throughout his questline. This gives you the chance to explore the different possibilities by working with him first.
Alternatives to Mr. House
Refusing to Hand Over the Chip
If you decide against giving the chip to Mr. House, you can refuse to give it at any point. This will lock you out of his questline entirely and make his Securitron robots hostile, preventing you from continuing with the associated quests. But, it does unlock other paths, most notably allowing you to side with the NCR, the Legion, or Yes Man.
Yes Man and Independence
You can choose to empower Yes Man, the securitron personality, to establish an independent New Vegas free from outside control, including that of Mr. House. This path allows you to mold the future as you see fit, making you the ultimate authority figure and allowing many of the factions to have a good outcome.
NCR and Legion
The New California Republic (NCR) offers a democratic alternative with a focus on law, order and expansion. However, their vision is one that is far from perfect. The Legion, on the other hand, is a tyrannical, slave-owning military force led by Caesar, that enforces a brutal form of order.
Making the Right Choice for You
Ultimately, the decision of whether to give the Platinum Chip to Mr. House depends on your personal preferences and your vision for the Mojave Wasteland. There are no perfect choices with the endings having their own pros and cons.
- Choose Mr. House if you value order, technological progress, and a long-term vision, even at the cost of personal freedom.
- Choose Yes Man if you prefer independence and want to be the one making the big decisions for New Vegas.
- Choose the NCR if you believe in the democratic ideals and expansion.
- Choose the Legion if you are looking for a brutal but stable future.
It’s advisable to explore all available options and align your choice with your Courier’s personality and values. No choice is definitively “best,” so focus on crafting the narrative that resonates most with you.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What happens if I refuse to give the chip to Mr. House?
Refusing to give Mr. House the Platinum Chip will make his securitrons hostile to you, thus sealing off his questline, and opening paths to the other factions.
2. Can I still side with the NCR after giving the chip to Mr. House?
Yes, you can. Mr. House asks for the chip multiple times, returning it to you after upgrades. This allows you to switch sides and still pursue the NCR questline.
3. Is Mr. House a good guy?
Mr. House is not inherently “good” or “bad.” He is a complex character with his own self-serving agenda, aiming for technological advancement and control of New Vegas and is considered an antagonist for most playthroughs.
4. Does killing Mr. House give bad karma?
Yes, killing Mr. House will result in a loss of -50 Karma.
5. Can I betray Mr. House after working for him?
Yes, you can betray Mr. House at any time before the battle at the dam and switch your allegiance to Yes Man or another faction.
6. What are the benefits of siding with Mr. House?
Siding with Mr. House leads to a technologically advanced future for New Vegas, with a strong focus on order and control, with his Securitrons to enforce his vision.
7. What happens if you betray Mr. House?
Betraying and killing Mr. House will start the quest “The House Has Gone Bust!” and fail the current Mr. House quest, enabling you to then side with Yes Man.
8. Why does Mr. House want the chip?
Mr. House wants the Platinum Chip to upgrade the securitrons on the Strip to help protect and control the area for his plans.
9. Is Mr. House the best ending for Fallout New Vegas?
Whether Mr. House has the “best” ending depends on your preferences. Some find his vision for the future to be ideal, while others prefer a more democratic or independent outcome.
10. How long can Mr. House live?
While Mr. House is sustained by life support, he is still vulnerable. It is speculated that he was nearing the end of his life by the time you encounter him within the game.
11. Can you spare the Brotherhood of Steel with Mr. House?
No, if you go with Mr. House you must destroy the Brotherhood of Steel.
12. Is Yes Man a bad choice in Fallout: New Vegas?
Yes Man is not inherently bad. He represents a path to independence, but it also means the player will be the main source of organization and control which can be bad if you play your character as selfish.
13. Is Mr. House pre-war?
Yes, Robert Edwin House was a pre-war industrialist and the owner of the New Vegas corporation.
14. Why does Mr. House hate the Brotherhood of Steel?
Mr. House considers the Brotherhood to be dangerous and detrimental to progress due to their hoarding of technology, preferring it to be put to good use for mankind instead of staying hidden.
15. Can I get the chip without killing Benny?
You can acquire a Platinum Chip by going to The Fort and speaking to Caesar, without encountering Benny in the Tops Casino.
Ultimately, the decision of whether or not to give the Platinum Chip to Mr. House depends on how you would like to shape the future of the Mojave. Explore each of the options available, and choose the faction and path that you feel best fits your character’s morals and intentions.