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Mad Catz reveals four new gaming headsets, keyboard at E3
Having announced its Android-based Project M.O.J.O. gaming console, Mad Catz is now turning to peripherals: it just unveiled a couple of universal headsets, a PC gaming keyboard and two other PC and Mac headsets. Kicking things off, the TRITTON Kunai Universal and F.R.E.Q. 4D stereo headsets (coming summer and fall 2013, respectively) follow the earlier GameSmart initiative by working with gaming consoles like the Xbox 360, PS3 and Wii U along with PCs, Macs and handheld devices. PC gamers get the S.T.R.I.K.E 3 gaming keyboard with mechanical keys, adjustable backlighting and programmable macro keys sometime in the fall. For PC and Mac users, the TRITTON Pro+ headset (based on the console version) brings 5.1 surround sound via a built-in decoder, while the TRITTON Kunai for PC and Mac offers an inline remote and breakaway cable for use with handheld devices. The latter two models will arrive this summer, but there's no word yet on pricing for any of the bunch. Head after the jump for the PR and galleries. %Gallery-191005% %Gallery-191006% %Gallery-191007% %Gallery-191008% %Gallery-191009% Follow all of our E3 2013 coverage at our event hub.
Mad Catz CEO announces 'Project M.O.J.O.' Android gaming console coming at E3
So, what with E3 just over the horizon, we're expecting a bunch of gaming news. But a new contestant in the Android gaming market? From an established gaming hardware maker? Well, apparently so, according to Mad Catz CEO Darren Richardson who announced "Project M.O.J.O." in a recent earnings call. Calling it an Android "micro console," Richardson claims it's like a supercharged smartphone, without a display, that you plug into a flatscreen TV. Richardson was also keen to stress that it's all about hardware performance, and will be open platform (rather than selling content). There are no details about specification at this stage, but M.O.J.O. is likely to be the fruit of a recent NVIDIA partnership, and will be the centerpiece of Mad Catz's own GameSmart products, which ensures a slew of peripherals and controller options. This partnership also likely means Tegra Zone compatibility, and therefore games from launch. For now we'll have to sit and wait, but it looks like Android gaming is about to step up a gear.
Mad Catz F.R.E.Q. 7 gaming headset hands-on
Mad Catz announced the F.R.E.Q. 7 gaming headset last week, and the company has the $200 cans on hand here at Mobile World Congress. As you may recall, the marquee spec is Dolby Pro Logic IIx processing, which expands 5.1-channel audio to 7.1 channels for a richer aural experience. Another cool feature: these over-ears come bundled with both a standard stereo connector and a cord with USB for connecting directly to your computer (both have mini-USB on one end). The F.R.E.Q. 7 wasn't plugged in so we can't speak to sound quality, but they feel lightweight, and the red color really pops in real life. (There's also a matte black option.) The devices are currently available for pre-order, but you can get a hands-on look now in our gallery. Zach Honig contributed to this report.
Mad Catz F.R.E.Q. 7 gaming headset pushes the EQ side, adds virtual 7.1 sound
Mad Catz launched the F.R.E.Q. 5 gaming headset just over a year ago, and it's already skipping two model numbers ahead to the F.R.E.Q. 7. What justifies the out-of-order sequencing? The Dolby Pro Logic IIx processing, mostly. The pseudo-surround effect widens stereo and 5.1-channel signals to 7.1 channels for gamers who want the greater audio precision. Appropriately enough for its name, the F.R.E.Q. 7 also brings software-driven EQ to emphasize voice or music in computer games, as well as separate volume adjustment for chat and the main action. Pre-orders for the USB- and 3.5mm-friendly headset are available in red, white and two styles of black at $200, although you'll have to wait until the start of Mad Catz's fiscal 2014 -- after March, for non-accountants -- before it reaches your door.
Eyes-on with Mad Catz' GameSmart cross-platform gaming peripherals
You've already learned all about Mad Catz's latest line of gaming peripherals -- part of its new GameSmart crossplatform Bluetooth initiative -- but now you can get an up-close and personal eyes-on as well. Not only do we have the gallery below, but also a lengthy hands-on video just beyond the break with Mad Catz's own Alex "Big Boy Barry" Verrey. Beware that the gamepad-style controller and the F.R.E.Q. headphones are both prototypes, so if you see some off marks, know that they'll likely be sorted by final production. Follow all the latest CES 2013 news at our event hub.
Mad Catz's 'Gamesmart' peripheral line connects to phones, tablets, PCs
Last week, Mad Catz revealed its "Gamesmart" initiative, designed to create a standard for peripherals across mobile and PC platforms. Now, we have an idea of what that actually means.Basically, the company is making new versions of its popular mouse, gamepad, and headset accessories that connect via Bluetooth to PCs, tablets, and mobile, with "a simplified setup process, longer battery life, and universal compatibility." The accessories are targeted for "early 2013," and will be shown at this week's CES, where all things that connect to phones live.While we're dubious of yet another competing standard for mobile phone controllers, if this works, it will be a great money saver for consumers, and a potential standardized input method for developers.
Mad Catz reveals line of multiplatform gaming peripherals alongside GameSmart initiative
After introducing the world to its GameSmart crossplatform hardware initiative last week just ahead of CES 2013, Mad Catz today revealed exactly what that'll mean for consumers: several of the company's peripherals are being reappropriated for use across mobile, PC, and Mac platforms. That includes the R.A.T. mouse, the F.R.E.Q. headset, the M.O.U.S.9 wireless mouse, and the C.T.R.L.R. wireless gamepad, all of which are being branded into the GameSmart line. Beyond the PC / Mac / mobile applications of these devices, Mad Catz says "some" are also designed for console use without going into specifics -- we'll be sure to ask Mad Catz about that when we get our first hands-on with the line of GameSmart peripherals this evening. All four devices become available "in a range of distinctive colors" to the general public in "early 2013." Follow all the latest CES 2013 news at our event hub.
MadCatz teases GameSmart peripherals: hardware that plays nice with multiple devices
MadCatz isn't ready to divulge all it has in store for CES, but it's given us a taste of what's to come by teasing its new GameSmart initiative, which offers an alternative to futzing with a cornucopia of device-specific peripherals. Hardware carrying the GameSmart moniker uses Bluetooth Smart tech to pair with devices ranging from smartphones to tablets -- and presumably other Bluetooth-equipped hardware. The firm says it'll include an app to add functionality to peripherals and it expects the tech will help game developers bridge differences between platforms by offering standardized controllers. Though MadCatz is waiting for CES to pull the curtains back on a raft of GameSmart gamepads, keyboards, mice and headsets, it says the hardware will launch shortly after it's unveiled.
Cute quotient overload: eyes-on with the Street Fighter x Sanrio Fightstick for Xbox 360
Thought the holidays were over? So did we. Imagine our surprise, then, when we returned to the office to find one last, special package lying in wait: Mad Catz Street Fighter x Sanrio Arcade Fightstick Pro. As ridiculous explosions of cute go, this one takes the sugoku kawaii cake -- even the box is a Hello Kitty collector's wet dream. Obvious overall otaku appeal aside, Xbox 360 gamers interested in the Fightstick Pro will find an eight button "authentic Japanese-style Sanwa Denshi" layout, switches for button lock / unlock and three joystick configuration settings (d-pad, left or right analog stick), turbo functionality, as well as a headphone jack upfront and a storage compartment housing the 13-foot long USB cable around back. Really though, no amount of English words will do this kitsch item justice. So check out the gallery below for a photo tour of this adorable collision of anime worlds.
Tekken Tag Tournament 2 FightStick available for Wii U, PS3, and Xbox
You can now own an arcade stick for your Wii U, helpfully labeled with the one game you'd need an arcade stick for, Tekken Tag Tournament 2. The Tekken Tag Tournament 2 Fightstick S from Mad Catz is now available for $160. The controller connects to the Wiimote via a 3.3 foot-long controller cable.PS3 and Xbox sticks are also available, called the "FightStick S+" because of extra foam padding on the bottom and swappable Tekken artwork. They retail for the same price.
Street Fighter x Sanrio: a merchandising mash-up made in otaku heaven
A Kitty-chan hadouken? Surely that's the stuff of fan fiction dreams, except it's not. In a move that's certain to confound core gamers, Mad Catz has commissioned a (somewhat unholy) merchandising mash-up of two beloved Japanese franchises, Street Fighter x Sanrio, to be splashed across its Arcade Fightstick Pro (for Xbox 360 and PS3) and iPhone 5 case covers -- sold for $160 and $35, respectively. And the results? Well, they're adorably alarming. Cramming the totemo kawaii pantheon of critters from Sanrio's line into the personas from Capcom's fighter, gamers with special interests can soak in the send-ups that see Badtz-Maru outfitted as the infamous Ryu, Hello Kitty sporting Chun-Li's buns and Pochacco as the blonde-maned Ken, just to name a few. No doubt, it takes a special kind of person to appreciate a crossover of the most intrusive childhood memory kind. But we're willing to bet there are plenty of you somewhere out there.
Mad Catz R.A.T. mice get three new paint schemes just in time for the holidays
Ever since Batman popularized the matte finish with his snazzy Batsuit, product designers have gone Bat-crazy over the finish choice. Today, Mad Catz pushes back on that new normal, re-introducing its R.A.T. line of gaming mice in three new, glossy colors: white, red, and (yes, another) black. That includes the entire R.A.T. line, from the R.A.T.3 to the M.M.O.7 and everything in between. And those new colors are already available from Mad Catz, anxiously awaiting wrapped boxes and new computers equipped with XCOM: Enemy Unknown. Oh the sectoids you'll kill!
Mad Catz Tritton Pro+ True 5.1 Surround Sound Headset now shipping for $200
If you spend more money on gaming than you do groceries each month, allow us to give you another reason to stock up on cases of ramen noodles: Mad Catz' Tritton Pro+ True 5.1 Surround Sound Headset is now shipping. Priced at $200, the Tritton Pro+ is compatible with the PS3, Xbox 360 and PCs. Sporting a flexible lightweight design, this triple threat rocks individual subwoofers in each earcup and "true Dolby Digital 5.1 surround" through eight separate drivers (four per earcup). In addition to its potentially deafening output, the Pro+ features an in-line remote and Selectable Voice Monitoring, which gives users the option to hear their own voice through the headset's speakers -- in case you wanna play multiplayer with the other people in your head. Also, you might wanna see a doctor.
Mad Catz announces the S.T.R.I.K.E. 5 keyboard for pro gamers, pre-order now for $200
There are keyboards, and then there are Mad Catz keyboards... and now, the company's constructed a new pro peripheral to rest your wrists on -- the S.T.R.I.K.E. 5. Just like the other mission control center we saw a few months ago, it features a modular design allowing various layouts, high-performance keys with customized backlighting, and 21 programmable macro buttons. The main difference here is the touchscreen component of the S.T.R.I.K.E. 7 has been substituted for the "E.Y.E. OLED Command Module," which is used for easy access to keyboard functions, quick-launch triggers, and can display respawn timers for coordinating those second-specific attacks. Cash-strapped pros will be pleased to hear the S.T.R.I.K.E. 5 is cheaper than its predecessor, and you can head to the source link to sacrifice $200 on a pre-order now. Mad Catz won't tell us what alien race is supplying the keyboards, nor an exact shipping date -- all we know is that they're expected "very soon."
Tritton Kunai headset ships to chatty PS3 and PS Vita gamers
There are plenty of gaming headsets, but only so many specifically tuned to the PlayStation audience that aren't made by Sony itself. Mad Catz' Tritton label has just shipped a version of its Kunai wired headset optimized for both the PS3 and the PS Vita that might redress that (admittedly minor) deficit. About the only real customization for Vita owners is the option for a shorter 3-foot cord, but PS3 owners can plug in through USB and adjust voice volume independently from the gunshots and explosions. Regardless of which game console the Kunai links to, there's a modest 25Hz to 20KHz headphone frequency range and few frills aside from a detachable boom microphone. Tritton is mostly counting on the price to lure us in, which just might work -- at $60, berating players in-game with a Kunai will cost as much as one of the games themselves.
Tritton's $150 720+ gaming headset helps you pwn newbs with 7.1 virtual surround sound
Lately, it seems like few weeks go by without Tritton announcing a new gaming headset. Now that its full range of Xbox-licensed cans has reached shelves, the company seems focused on updating its former corded stars. Following the recently announced Ax Pro+ "true 5.1" headset ($200), Tritton has unveiled the 720+ 7.1 surround sound headset ($150) -- the successor to the venerable AX 720. Aside from sporting the Pro+'s edgier aesthetics, the 720+ has been gifted with beefier 50mm drivers (up from 40 on the 720) for improved fidelity and the same selective microphone monitoring found on the Warhead. As expected, an included Dolby decoder box handles the audio processing and connections, while an inline remote lets you set your levels. Rather than having multiple drivers dedicated for each audio channel crammed in both earcups like the Pro+, the 720+ takes a virtual route with Dolby Headphone -- a method that's generally produced better results to our ears for owning, and clearly hearing the virtual battlefield. The 720+ is set to arrive this September, and it's currently up pre-order direct from Tritton.
Tritton Warhead 7.1 two-way headset for Xbox 360 now shipping
Companies are no strangers to superlatives where new kit is concerned and Mad Catz is definitely no exception. With the release of its newest flagship, the Tritton Warhead 7.1, the outfit's claiming a novelty in the Xbox 360 space, labeling these cans as the "first... to deliver two-way communication" without the need for wires or controller adapters. Made specifically for Microsoft's green X gaming platform, the pair of 50mm drivers pump out Dolby 7.1 virtual surround sound over a 5.8GHz channel for up to 33ft of interference-free smack talk. The headset also offers gamers the ability to monitor their in-ear voice levels (SVM), control the volume of other players, as well as select EQ presets for a variety of media playback. And just so you never have to press pause to keep the friendly banter (read: cusses) flowing, the company's bundled in a dock and pair of of Li-ion batteries for "hot-swappable" recharging. These over-ears are available now for a cool $299 at BestBuy and the company's own site, so if you take your first-person action seriously, prepare to part with a few Benjamins. Official presser after the break.
Tritton's Pro+ 5.1 headset goes up for pre-order, promises gamers 'true 5.1' for $200
Thought Tritton was satisfied with only pumping out Xbox-licensed gaming headsets in the last year? Fret not ye' PS3 and PC gamers, instead, say hello to its latest cross-platform unit, the AX Pro+. Although its color scheme is similar to the Dolby Headphone-enabled AX 720 virtual surround sound headset, the moniker pits it as a follow up to the AX Pro. Like its predecessor, the Pro+ sports a trio of drivers and one subwoofer in each of its earcups, aiming to offer "true 5.1 surround sound." Among other design tweaks, its cups can rotate flat for added comfort (a sorely missed feature on the original), and the drivers have been repositioned for "superior surround sound separation and improved bass response." An included Dolby decoder box handles its connections, while the headset's inline remote allows you to adjust each driver's individual volume level, the balance of game / voice audio, and enable voice monitoring through its detachable mic. Better yet, the whole setup is powered by one wall plug, rather than two as was the annoyance with the older model. Discrete 5.1 headsets haven't impressed us in the past, but you can pre-order the Pro+ for $200 from Tritton if you're willing to give its cramped surround sound setup a try during Call of Duty fragging sessions come this September.
Tritton Warhead 7.1 Wireless Surround Sound Headset for Xbox 360 review
This is for sure: if you're a gamer seeking a primo wireless surround sound headset, now is a very good time to buy. It's been less than two weeks since Astro Gaming's A50 wireless surround headset impressively traversed the Engadget review gauntlet, and now the crazy kitties that are Mad Catz and Tritton are up for a turn. It's taken the duo well over a year and a half to get its full range of Microsoft-licensed Xbox 360 headsets off the ground, with the flagship Warhead 7.1 Wireless Surround Sound Headset set to hit shelves in just a few days. Aside from packing some innovative and exclusive features for Xbox 360 users, it stands as the only totally integrated wireless headset for the system -- for the first time you won't need a pesky controller-to-headset cable or a controller-mounted Bluetooth dongle for voice chat. We've been fortunate enough to get an early look at this $300 Dolby Headphone-enabled headset, so join us past the break and we'll let you know whether it's been worth the wait -- or whether it's too much, too late. %Gallery-161720%
How would you change the Mad Catz MLG Pro for PS3?
Mad Catz' MLG Pro Circuit controller is aimed squarely at those who play games professionally -- or would like to. We put the PS3 version of the handset through its paces and found that while it's highly customizable, a lack of Sixaxis, force feedback and pressure-sensitive buttons made the gaming experience feel lightweight. Are you a gamer and did you buy one? You've had six months hard labor on this thing, so why not tell us what you thought of it and if you were asked, what would you change?