Platinum Chip

The Platinum Chip is a quest item in Fallout: New Vegas.

Background
The chip was designed by Robert House and was printed in Sunnyvale on October 22, 2077, a day before the Great War. During the Great War, the Lucky 38's defensive weapons were used to prevent most of the nuclear warheads from destroying Las Vegas and the surrounding area and if the platinum chip had reached House in time, would have prevented all of the warheads from hitting the Vegas area.

The chip was lost in the war, and since then, Mr. House has spent millions of caps, including 812,545 in a single year, to find it. The platinum chip was located by one of the scavenger teams. Cautious about transport, Mr. House first had delivery paths, avenues and routes screened prior to having it sent to New Vegas via the Mojave Express, along with five other dummy packages of various novelty items so as not to convey its importance.

Carried by the Courier, the chip was intercepted by Benny around Goodsprings after attaining the exact route through Yes Man. House's protege intended to use it to gain control of the New Vegas Strip and make it an independent power in the wasteland, free of his employer's machinations. The only locations that have the computer hardware necessary to read the chip are inside the Lucky 38 casino and a weather monitoring station on Fortification Hill.

Characteristics
The chip is a sophisticated, high-density data storage device. The platinum chip contains software upgrades for the Lucky 38's systems, including the Mark II operating system for Securitron robots.

When the Courier arrives at The Fort, the chip will be confiscated. It will be returned in order to access the Securitron vault. Mr. House explains that the entrance is opened using the chip, which both bears the logo of the Lucky 38.

Location

 * The platinum chip can be obtained by killing Benny.
 * It is also possible to obtain the chip by either working with or killing Caesar.

Behind the scenes

 * The chip being made in Sunnyvale, CA is an homage to the movie WarGames.
 * The platinum chip was originally planned to trade hands much more frequently in the second half of the game. This was changed early on in development when Joshua Sawyer asked John Gonzalez to focus more on the interactions of factions and their motivations. Remnants of this original design can still be found in the game files including the script.
 * Sawyer stated that the team "intentionally left the Courier's origins and the exact nature of the initial transaction vague."
 * A replica platinum chip is included in the Collector's Edition of Fallout: New Vegas. The Collector's Edition chip has Morse code numbers on each of its sides. The 200 side reads "112281," while the Lucky 38 side reads "232077." Also on the 200 side, there is a symbol of a roulette ball in a 7 slot, while the Lucky 38 side shows a roulette ball in a 10 slot.

Bugs

 * It's possible to obtain 2 platinum chips. First, obtain the first one from Benny. Then visit Caesar. Then exit the premises of The Fort and become vilified by Caesar's Legion (or any reputation that makes them hostile). Then pay another visit to Caesar and kill him. The second platinum chip can now be looted from his corpse.
 * Alternatively, allow Benny's capture by the Legion, and complete the quest of choice in Mr. House's bunker. Afterward, pickpocket the chip from Caesar and then leave the camp, returning to Cottonwood Cove. One should arrive with two platinum chips.
 * Another way to obtain 2 platinum chips is to go to the Fort without encountering Benny at the Tops. Speak with Caesar, he will give the player a Platinum Chip so one can destroy (or not) Mr. House's bunker. Then, go to The Tops and visit Benny at his suite (Average Lock on the door), one can loot a platinum chip from his body after the player character murders him.
 * If the player kills Benny and obtains the platinum chip and then proceeds to talk to Caesar the chip will be taken from one's inventory once entering The Fort. To obtain another chip return to The Tops and start the Yes Man quests. Go to the Lucky 38 and kill Mr. House. One will receive another platinum chip.
 * It is possible to end up losing the platinum chip, thus preventing one from finishing the game's main storyline. This will occur if the courier enters Caesar's legion as an enemy and then slaughters Caesar and his guards, and then choose to let Benny live. Since Caesar is already dead, the chip will not appear in his inventory, and if Benny escapes, he will disappear from the game and one cannot loot it from his corpse. Even though the chip will not appear in one's inventory, the player can return to Mr. House and he will act as though you have and have handed over the chip, even upgrading his Securitrons and inviting one to return to Caesar's fort and open the secret bunker. For PC, one can just use console commands to get the platinum chip to appear in your inventory.