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8BitDo's second arcade stick is moddable, stylish and versatile
That’s right — 8BitDo’s Arcade Stick can be used wirelessly. The 8BitDo Arcade Stick is another brilliant blend of Nintendo heritage and modern video game sensibilities. The Arcade Stick is heavy, too. It’s been awhile since I used a fight stick.
8BitDo is making a customizable arcade stick for Switch and PC players
8BitDo has unveiled a new arcade stick that looks like the lovechild of a Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) and Street Fighter V cabinet. The peripheral, which supports PC and Switch, has a bunch of customisation options to suit different players. It also supports 8BitDo’s Ultimate Software so that, unlike the company’s old N30 arcade stick, you can change the button mapping, save custom profiles, and execute macros with the P1 and P2 options in the top right-hand corner.
Razer plans controller, arcade stick, other accessories for Xbox One
Razer, a company best known for its high-end PC peripherals, has announced plans for a line of Xbox One accessories, furthering a partnership with Microsoft that spawned the above-pictured controller as well as other devices for the Xbox 360. "Razer is dedicated to improving the overall experience from the games themselves to the player, be it console or PC," stated Razer CEO Min-Liang Tan. "By working with a company as prestigious as Microsoft on a system as sought-after as the Xbox One, we'll be able to accomplish just that. This is an exciting time for the hundreds of millions of gamers all over the world, and we're thrilled to be a part of it." Though this announcement lacks any solid details on the upcoming Xbox One products from Razer, the company does mention plans for a controller, an arcade stick and "more." According to Razer, further information will appear "in the coming weeks."
Mad Catz Tournament Edition 2 FightStick for Xbox One is customizable, out this fall
Mad Catz has a brand-spankin-new arcade stick to go along with Microsoft's brand-spankin-new Xbox One: the Tournament Edition 2 FightStick. At first glance, it may look like nothing more than a slightly flashier version of the existing models, but beyond the fact that it comes equipped with the same Sanwa Denshi parts, the TE2 is a whole new beast. The case opens on a hinge, to start with. Pressing the Mad Catz logo on the front of the unit releases a latch that grants access to the internals of the stick, which has been designed so that nearly every piece of the thing can be replaced or customized with the user's choice of buttons, micro-switches, LED mods or what-have-you. There's even compartments for extra buttons and an on-board screwdriver for removing the mounting bracket that holds the buttons and stick. We weren't allowed to photograph the inside of the stick as its design isn't finalized, but we're told the final version will also contain storage for spare joysticks and the TE2's detachable cable, which will be sold in varying lengths. What we did see, however, was the stock LED lighting effects under the buttons and on the side panels. The stick is also designed in such a way that the artwork can be replaced without having to remove the joystick or buttons. Mad Catz was unable to comment on whether replacement side panels will be sold, or if replacement plexiglass inserts will be available for people that prefer different button layouts. The Tournament Edition 2 FightStick will be available alongside the Xbox One at launch, though its price point has yet to be announced.%Gallery-191426%%Gallery-191509%
PlayStation 4 incompatible with PS3 Mad Catz Tournament Edition FightSticks
Mad Catz's extensive line of PlayStation 3 Tournament Edition FightSticks will not function with Sony's new PlayStation 4, Joystiq confirmed today with Mad Catz senior product development manager Richard Neville. "Playstation 4 will require a whole new set of peripherals," Neville said. Currently, Mad Catz has announced that it is launching a new and improved Tournament Edition 2 FightStick for the Xbox One when that console is released sometime this year, but the peripheral manufacturer was unable to comment on the availability of future PlayStation 4 sticks.
Razer Atrox arcade stick entices Xbox 360 fighters with swappable parts
Look out, MadCatz -- Razer's ready to add an Xbox 360 arcade stick to its peripheral lineup. The $200 Atrox should please serious button mashers, thanks to Sanwa-sourced controls and completely customizable parts. A total of 10 buttons sit alongside the joystick, and you'll find storage compartments for an additional stick and the bundled 13-foot detachable USB cable under the lid. Fighting game enthusiasts can pre-order the Atrox beginning on May 21st from Razer's online store, with global availability set for June -- Japan's lucky shores will see it this month. There's no word on variations for other systems, but that may be the price to pay for the integrated Xbox Live headset jack. Catch a render of its internals and a press release after the break.
Razer's Atrox arcade stick still exists, pre-orders open May 21
Gaming hardware manufacturer Razer has wrapped up the beta testing phase for its long-in-development Razer Atrox Arcade Stick for the Xbox 360, and will begin accepting pre-orders next week. We had a look at a prototype version of Razer's controller at TGS way back in 2011, where the concept made a strong showing. Razer previously announced that it would be working closely with the fighting game community throughout the Atrox's development, and the finished product will ship with tournament-grade Sanwa buttons and multiple interchangeable ball-top and bat-top sticks. Razer has developed the Atrox with modding in mind; the hatch-like surface can be opened with a button press, allowing for easy maintenance and design customization. Once opened, the Atrox boasts a spacious interior with compartments for replacement parts, tools, and the fat wads of cash you'll pick up from underground Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 money matches. Atrox pre-orders will open at Razer's website on May 21. The Atrox will retail for $200.
Street Fighter X Sanrio line from Mad Catz includes arcade stick, iPhone/iPad cases
We're not entirely sure why Street Fighter's 25th anniversary equates to a cross-promotional merchandising deal with Sanrio, but man are we glad that it does. Not only do we get adorable figures and plushies out of the partnership, but now Mad Catz has introduced a line of Street Fighter X Sanrio products that are both the cutest and have practical applications beyond said cuteness.Obviously, the Street Fighter X Sanrio Fighstick Pro (above) tugs at a very, very specific part of our heart, even if it does cost $160. While not stated specifically in any of its promotional materials, we feel it's safe to assume the arcade stick uses the same Sanwa Denshi parts as the Street Fighter X Tekken Fightstick Pro models it's based on. Just, you know, very pink.The line also includes iPhone 5 and iPad 2/3 cases in your choice of Hello Kitty Chun-Li or Hello Kitty Ryu flavors, which run for $35 and $45 respectively and can be seen in the gallery below.%Gallery-173109%
Razer's customizable fight stick returns to TGS for final beta, is still nameless (video)
Remember that disassembly friendly, unnamed Xbox 360 arcade stick Razer trotted out at TGS last year? It's back, and while it hasn't gained any traction in the moniker category, it's received a few notable hardware tweaks. Razer's TGS team told us the stick has been through a total of thirteen revisions since it entered closed beta last year, and is now entering its final beta before production. Leveraging feedback from over 200 enthusiasts, Razer has made a number of tweaks to the controller, including alternative joystick tops, an included miniature screwdriver and a honeycomb screw-mount bottom so modders can install custom PCBs. The new unit also wears an acrylic cover, allowing perspective buyers to swap Razer's default artwork for a custom inlay. Just like last year, this unit features Sanwa Denshi components -- but picky players will be able to swap them out for their preferred parts without fear of voiding their warranty. Razer couldn't tell us how long the final beta phase would last, and only said that the stick would be released once it was "perfect." Our host did hazard a guess, however, that it would be out by early next year. Want to see more? Relive our TGS booth visit after the break.
Hori's Dead or Alive 5 arcade stick is for fighters
If you watched EVO streams over the weekend, chances are you walked away with a sudden and intense desire to play King of Fighters XIII. Hori's newest arcade stick ... is themed after a totally different game, but would totally work for KOF or really any fighting game. It would work great, of course, for the game it actually represents.Hori is producing a Dead or Alive 5 stick using the same casing as its Soulcalibur 5 stick, due alongside the game in September. It's available for both PS3 and Xbox, and features the "I'm a Fighter" slogan, which should be helpful in case you glance down at the device and happen to forget what you're supposed to be doing.
MadCatz producing limited edition EVO fightsticks
To commemorate this year's EVO Championship Series World Finals, arcade stick darling Mad Catz has created a limited edition "EVO Championship Series Arcade Fightstick Pro" for the PS3 and 360.Now, when we say limited edition, we mean exceedingly limited edition: Mad Catz is only manufacturing 600 of these arcade sticks in total – 300 for each system. While the parts used in the stick are not explicitly broken down, the fact that it's part of the manufacturer's Fightstick Pro line implies heavy usage of Sanwa Denshi buttons and sticks.For all intents and purposes, the limited edition joint appears to be a translucent purple version of Mad Catz's Street Fighter X Tekken stick, and at $159.99 it costs about the same as well. Pre-orders are now active at Mad Catz's GameShark shop.
SRK contest produces a 26-button Starcraft II arcade controller, probably won't stop Zerg rushes (video)
Almost as a dare, Shoryuken (SRK) challenged its fans to produce a fighting game-style controller for Starcraft II. Mauricio Romano took them up on that contest and won with a surprisingly polished arcade stick of his own. Its cornerstone is a heavily modified Ultrastik joystick that's turned into an on-controller, two-button mouse. You didn't think a PC gamer would cling to a plain joystick, did you? In the process, the usual 101 keys of a typical keyboard have been pared down to a set of 26 buttons most relevant for Blizzard's real-time strategy epic. Packaged up in a single, polished USB peripheral, the one-off prototype's design is good enough to imagine a Major League Gaming pro taking it out on the road. We'd put that idea on ice for now, though: as Mauricio shows in the video below, the learning curve is steep enough that most players won't be fending off diamond-league marine and zergling blitzes anytime soon.
Hands on: Nyko Free Fighter arcade stick (plus bonus Nyko booth gadgets)
During E3, contributing editor Jess Conditt and I met up with the folks at Nyko to take a look at the Free Fighter, the company's first real foray into the world of high-end arcade sticks. The Free Fighter's main selling point, beyond its Sanwa Denshi parts -- well, mostly Sanwa Denshi, as half the button plungers are in-house -- and programmable macros, is its modular design, which allows the joystick to be placed on either the left or right side of the buttons, or even be detached all together. Ambidextrous arcade sticks have been done before, but Nyko's offering is a bit more elegant than Qanba's solution.That being said, the Free Fighter isn't necessarily the prettiest arcade stick I've ever seen, but it is certainly striking in an angular, industrial way. The lack of surface area isn't as much of an issue as it originally seemed like it would be, and resting my hands on the stick felt comfortable, be it on a table or in my lap. Nyko says the stick's small footprint was designed with portability in mind, so as to make the stick easier to transport from event to event.Launching for the PS3 this holiday at a $180 price point, the Free Fighter is $30 more expensive than its strongest competition, the Mad Catz Round 2 Tournament Edition FightStick, which also uses Sanwa Denshi parts. Nyko told us that if successful, the Free Fighter could be adapted into a platform for other peripheral modules, like a flight stick or racing wheel. Xbox 360 and Wii U versions are expected to launch sometime next year.Check out our awkward hands-on video above, as well as pictures of the Free Fighter and Nyko's other E3 offerings (Power Grip for Vita, Power Grip Pro for 3DS, Powerpad and Powerpad Pro for Android) in the gallery below. Photo and video credit: Jess Conditt%Gallery-157594%
Seen@E3: Atlus' custom Persona 4 Arena arcade stick
During E3, we met with Atlus to check out Persona 4 Arena, among other things, and upon sitting down at the small table in our private presentation room we were surprised to find a P4A arcade stick waiting for us. Immediately, our hearts were all a-flutter with the prospect of a nice limited edition arcade stick."There is an official HORI stick in Japan," Aram Jabbari told us, "but this is a Mad Catz that we've customized. There is no official North American stick at this time," and as quickly as they had arisen, our hopes were quickly dashed. Jabbari, who is Atlus' Manager of PR and Sales, said we could post about the stick so long as we promised not to insinuate that it was a real product, or that it was ever going to be released. So! Expect to see it on store shelves before the end of the month.(But seriously, there is no North American stick at this time.)
Guilty Gear XX Accent Core Plus coming to Japan this summer, limited edition arcade stick in tow
The XBLA/PSN port of Guilty Gear XX Accent Core Plus will roman cancel its way into Japanese living rooms sometime this summer, according to Siliconera's translation of Famitsu. Still no word on a North American or European release date, however, but a Japanese release window is a good sign that things are progressing in some fashion.Despite years of inactivity brought on by legal troubles and developmental purgatory, the Guilty Gear series still holds a very special place in the living, beating heart of the fighting game community. So much so, in fact, that arcade parts manufacturing powerhouse Sawna Denshi is producing a limited edition Guilty Gear arcade stick for the PS3, set to launch alongside the game's Japan release.The stick will be available from Ebten for ¥13,980 ($171.95) when it does launch, but since Sanwa only operates in Japan, we doubt it'll make its way to any domestic retailers that don't specialize in importing esoteric wares from the Land of the Rising Sun.
Virtua Fighter 5 Final Showdown PS3 sticks show up in the US this summer
For those of you in need of a professional-grade accessory for a low-cost downloadable game, Hori announced plans to release an official Virtua Fighter 5 Final Showdown arcade stick for PS3 in North America this summer.Based on Hori's Real Arcade Pro V3 SA model, the VF5 stick uses authentic Sanwa Denshi parts for the stick and buttons, and totally inauthentic optional turbo settings for all buttons. Pricing has not been announced, but the stick runs for 13,800 yen ($170) in Japan.
Michael McDonald arcade stick, for takin' it to the Street Fighters
You're not going to find a better custom PS2 arcade stick with a better picture of a better Doobie Brother.
Phantom Breaker gets a new website, trailer and arcade stick giveaway
With all the hubbub lately over SoulCalibur 5's recent release and the impending punches contained within next month's Street Fighter X Tekken, its easy to lose track of more obsure upcoming releases like Phantom Breaker. The 360 exclusive fighter, developed by 5pb of Japan and localized for North American audiences by 7sixty, now has an English website and a new trailer to go with it, as seen above.7sixty is also giving away two limited edition Phantom Breaker-themed Fusion Sapphire arcade sticks from boutique custom shop eightarc. Considering that only those deeply mired in the intricacies of the fighting game community know of eightarc's existence, this contest at least shows that 7sixty knows how to do its homework, if nothing else. You can enter for your chance to win either on the game's official site, or at its Facebook page.
Qanba introduces line of ambidextrous arcade sticks
The raging battle between Southpaws and Righties wages ever onward, with each side continuing to produce products for their own kind in an attempt to eventually convert the global population to their way of doing things. Some companies, however, are trying to create peace between the warring factions by introducing products that either side can use.Take Qanba, for instance: The Chinese arcade stick manufacturer has announced a new line of ambidextrous sticks that can be flipped and reversed with the flick of a switch. Launching sometime next month, the "Q2-PRO Battle of Wits" can be oriented with the stick on the left or on the right, depending on how you were raised, and will be available in PS3/PC, 360/PC and PS3/360/PC flavors. No pricing information is available as of yet, but can you really put a price on world peace?
Video review: Mad Catz Arcade FightStick Soul Edition
A few weeks ago, Mad Catz sent me one of its latest arcade sticks, the SoulCalibur 5 branded Soul Edition arcade fightstick. After daily testing on SC5, Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 and Mortal Kombat, the Soul Edition not only met my expectations, but exceeded them, as you can tell from the review video above.The company's Tournament Edition sticks have always been excellent pieces of hardware, and the Soul Edition is no exception. It's solidly constructed from arcade-quality parts and is heavy enough to stay in place, regardless of whether you fight on a table-top or your lap. The stick's striking motif and subtle design elements set it apart from every other mass-produced arcade stick on the market; if you want to stand out at your local Ranking Battles without incurring the cost of a custom-made stick, you'd be hard pressed to find a piece of fighting tech that's this unique, right out of the box.
