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Mad Catz takes aim at Microsoft with its own Wireless-N Gaming Adapter
Well, go figure. It seems like some companies see Microsoft's new and pricey Wireless N adapter for the Xbox 360 as a prime candidate for some competition. One of the first out of the gate is Mad Catz, which has just released its new Wireless-N Gaming Adapter that packs a slightly more reasonable MSRP of $80 (twenty bucks less than Mircosoft's), and should no doubt see even bigger discounts than the official Microsoft option. As you may have already guessed, however, this one is actually just a standard wireless bridge aimed at the gamer crowd, which just so happens to mean it'll also work just fine with the PlayStation 3 if you're looking to step-up to 802.11n or take advantage of the forthcoming Adhocparty service.
Mad Catz Rock Band Wireless Fender Telecaster 'Player's Edition' might just get Dylan to go electric
If you're really, really into fake guitar playing, Mad Catz newest 'Player's Edition' Fender Tele might be just the thing for you. It boasts four ways to kick yourself into Overdrive (traditional tilting, a backtuning button, a touch sensitive pickup over the strumming bar, and a sold-separately Electro Harmonix pedal), plus some new fast action Shredderz fret buttons. Of course, the real draw here is aesthetic, and they've definitely hit all the right notes, there. The Rock Band Telecaster is available now, and it's going to run you $109.99 -- but you can make that in busking tips, right?
Mad Catz announces 'Round Two' Street Fighter IV fightpads and fightstick
It's not doing anything crazy like lowering the price, but it looks like Mad Catz is at least set to give fighting game fans a few more options when it comes to choosing their peripheral of choice. As usual, the headliner is the company's Tournament Edition fightstick, which dials things back after the explosion of color on the Comic-Con exclusive edition, but otherwise remains identical inside and out. Those that honed their Street Fighter skills on their SNES or Genesis can also now choose from a new range of fightpads, featuring artwork with your choice of M. Bison, Guile, Zangief, C. Viper, Cammy, or Sagat. No firm release date just yet, but the whole lot should be out sometime this fall for both the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, with the fightstick setting you back the usual $149.99, and the fightpads running a considerably more affordable $39.99 apiece.[Via Joystiq]
Mad Catz Modern Warfare 2 peripherals break cover, reveal pricing
You should already have a pretty good idea of what extra sauce Mad Catz will be bringing to Modern Warfare 2's November 10 release, but here are some up close and personal snaps of the hardware anyway. Monochromatic camo patterns -- all the rage in that war-torn near-future world -- are evident throughout and will cost you a cent under $50 for either of the Xbox 360 or PS3 Combat Controllers, the Combat Keyboard or Sniper Mouse, or a cool hundred for the Elite Keyboard with a blood-red backlight. And if you want to spruce up your current hardware, gamepad faceplates and Xbox 360 Skinz will be available for $15 and $30, respectively. Feeling like a badass comes as a free extra.
Mad Catz ships $300 Fender Stratocaster Rock Band guitar, disgraces real musicians everywhere
We always knew something like this was a realistic possibility, but we had high hopes that it'd never really come to fruition. Today, what little hope we had left in humanity has been thoroughly crushed, as the introduction of a guitar controller that costs far more than many actual guitars has occurred. In an effort to truly milk the sector for all it's worth, Mad Catz has begun to ship the sunburst-colored Rock Band Wireless Wooden Fender Stratocaster, which is a 1:1 replica of the iconic axe that is constructed from genuine Stratocaster wooden blanks. Heck, even the tuning keys and bridge are built from genuine Fender metal parts and fittings. There's also a wireless module designed to function with Microsoft's Xbox 360, and just so you know you're getting your money's worth, the $299.99 asking price also includes a Fender guitar strap and a headset socket for online play. So, who out there is brazen enough to admit that they're buying one (or two)?[Via OhGizmo]
Marvel vs. Capcom 2 FightStick, other new Mad Catz fighting peripherals spotted at GameStop conference
Shoryuken forumite ohgee saw some new, unannounced Mad Catz FightSticks and FightPads at the ongoing GameStop Manager Conference, and snapped some pictures for the community. Perhaps most noteworthy is the confirmation of the rumored Marvel vs. Capcom 2 Tournament Edition FightStick, with yellow and white buttons and artwork from the recent MvC2 downloadable release. GameStop employees in the thread say it'll be out September 25 for $159.99, a $10 increase over the original TE FightStick.Other new items found at the conference include a "Round 2" Street Fighter IV FightStick with new art, and several new FightPads.[Thanks Ninjax!]
Video: Mad Catz doles out Modern Warfare 2 controllers for young (and old) whippersnipers
If Infinity Ward's own Prestige Edition of Modern Warfare 2 isn't enough to satisfy your lust for custom hardware, Mad Catz is ready to pick up the slack with no less than ten MW2-branded peripherals. The crown jewel to the set will be the Combat Controller, which will have a couple of extra buttons, but more importantly, is likely the gamepad Robert Bowling was tweeting about last month. Come this November, you'll also be able to talk smack via a Throat Communicator on the 360 or a more mundane Bluetooth Headset on the PS3, add Skinz to your controllers and Microsoft console, and even your neglected PC can be enriched with an Elite Keyboard and Sniper Mouse combo. Update: IGN has been first to preview the full plethora of goods, and we've got the video for you after the break (Thanks, quasar). [Via Joystiq]
Mad Catz detailz mice, controllers, 'Throat Communicator' for Modern Warfare 2
our best guess Knowing us, we're going to need some extra Modern Warfare 2 accessories when the game releases this November -- and no, the $150 collector's edition certainly isn't enough! Mad Catz is thankfully answering the call from those of us yearning for more ways to spend money on non-essential MW2 items (non-essentials being everything other than the game disc, of course), detailing today its previously announced accessories.The damage ranges from $15 to $100 for 10 different items, such as custom controllers, mice, faceplates, and even something dubbed "skinz." We've been promised images of said items later in the week, so we'll just have to wonder what a "Throat Communicator" could possibly look like until then.
Special edition Mad Catz Street Fighter IV controllers set for limited engagement at Comic-Con
Heading to Comic-Con this year? If not, you'll be missing out on a limited edition Street Fighter IV-branded FightSticks and FightPads from Mad Catz, with button layouts designed to maximize your hadouken-throwing efficiency and with a design the Joystiq crew labels as inspired by Sagat (the character) -- a perfect complement to your Tournament Edition sticks. According to Capcom's official blog, only 500 of each have been made, divided evenly between PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. The pad will cost you $49.99, the sticks $179.99, and the online auction resale value guaranteed to be even more.[Via Joystiq]
Limited edition Mad Catz SFIV controllers available at Comic-Con
Do you want to be the envy of all your fighting game opponents without actually having to be any good at fighting games? Mad Catz has created a set of exclusive Street Fighter IV controllers, to be available only at the San Diego Comic-Con (July 23-26) in limited numbers (500 FightPads each for PlayStation 3 and Xbox, and 250 Tournament Edition FightSticks for each console). Both controllers feature a color scheme and artwork inspired by Sagat -- the art appears to represent his trademark scar. The FightStick features new details like Hadouken arrow diagrams on the joystick dust cover. It'll sell for $179.99 at the show, and for significantly more later on eBay. The FightPads will be available for $49.99.%Gallery-68356%
Mad Catz SFIV FightSticks in stock at Capcom Store
Heads up! The Capcom Store received a long-awaited shipment of Mad Catz's official Street Fighter IV FightSticks today. Both the standard ($69.95/$79.95) and rarer Tournament Edition ($149.95) models are on sale for PS3 and Xbox 360. (Note: The FightPads are still out of stock.)Still reading? You must not be interested. These bad boys go fast ... but are they built to last?%Gallery-40901%[Via Capcom Unity]
Wii Balance Board Power Up Charging Stand from Mad Catz just dares you to revert to AAs
There's just something so defiant about this "Power Up" charging stand from Mad Catz -- it seems specifically designed to take up as much cubic footage as possible, and even the name is domineering. The stand is bizarrely formed in the likeness of a miniature Wii Balance Board, with a replacement battery pack included in the kit with contact charging points to take out all the exertion of flipping the B-Board and swapping out batteries. A foot pedal release mechanism pops the Balance Board out of the stand, and there are a couple of free-spirited USB ports on the thing for charging up whatever other awkwardly-shaped gadgetry you might have around the house.[Via Unplggd]
Mad Catz signs multi-year deal with Microsoft for wireless tech
Although we haven't discussed Microsoft's Force grip on its proprietary wireless tech in a long time, it appears Mad Catz doesn't have to worry about it for the next few years. The peripheral manufacturer has signed a non-exclusive multi-year licensing agreement with the console maker to "manufacture, market and sell Xbox 360-branded wireless specialty video game controllers."Mad Catz CEO Darren Richardson believes the Xbox 360 is a "key focus" of its licensed accessories business, as evidenced by its Capcom deal. Now we wait for that well-received SF IV tournament stick to go wireless -- for those who can afford the 0.0000008 millisecond lag.
Electro-Harmonix Overdrive pedal just became a Rock Band 2 necessity
The avoirdupois of the world rests on your shoulders as you await the mind-numbing riffs of Painkiller. You wonder how you'll prevent yourself from engaging in overdrive prematurely as your locks bang to and fro. Then you look down and see EHX's Overdrive pedal a stone's throw from your left foot. Exhale.[Via Boing Boing]
Street Fighter IV PC comes packin' ... a fightpad
For the few of you out there waiting for a PC version of Street Fighter IV and who, simultaneously, had not prepared for playing the game with a keyboard and mouse, Capcom has luckily thought ahead. It's including a MadCatz Fight Pad in the $60 Games for Windows version of SFIV that'll be sold at your local brick and mortar. We're wondering how many folks are willing to snag one of these for the controller alone!Problematically, the company has at once solved your problem and caused another -- how are you going to play against friends in your house with only one controller? Knowing that the arcade controllers released have come in fairly short supply, here's hoping the introduction of PC Street Fighter IV brings with it a bevy of the unfortunately necessary controllers to the market.
Capcom: More MadCatz Street Fighter 4 controllers by April
Good news for fighting game aficionados out of Capcom and MadCatz HQ today. A new shipment of the specialty controllers and arcade sticks for (and that should have come bundled with) Street Fighter IV will be available soon. Darin from the Capcom Unity Blog sends word that MadCatz will have a few units of the popular -- but somewhat problematic -- controllers by the end of this month and the end of April.While the number of units isn't being thrown around, Capcom says there should be enough stock to take care of most, if not all, existing orders. As for the ability to one day walk into a store and freely purchase a unit off the shelf ... let's not talk crazy, folks.
Mad Catz announces SFIV controllers, accessories
click to see this bad boy in hi-res Mad Catz has announced a new line of controllers and accessories designed especially with Street Fighter fans in mind. First up, the company has the FightPad, which features an arcade style six button layout and (blessedly) a floating eight-way D-pad. For more serious fighting fanatics, there is the FightStick an arcade style joystick with an eight button layout. For really serious fighting fans, there's the FightStick Tournament, which features authentic Sanwa parts. In fact, it uses the same parts found in actual Street Fighter IV arcade cabinets. As if that weren't enough, the design of the FightStick Tournament is being overseen by SFIV producer Yoshinori Ono himself. Also on offer will be a Street Fighter IV faceplate, wall scroll, and (ahem) Console Skinz.All the Street Fighter IV Mad Catz products are scheduled to ship alongside the release of the game in February. No prices have been announced yet, which means we can still dream that the FightStick Tournament will be offered for the low, low price of free. Find a gallery of the new controllers below. Gallery: Mad Catz Street Fighter IV controllers [Via Joystiq]
Mad Catz rolls out new Saitek Aviator flight sticks for Xbox 360, PS3
Flight sticks may not be quite as common as they were during the heyday of PC flight sims, but there's still quite a few would-be Chuck Yeagers out there, and Mad Catz is doing its best to cater to them with its new pair of Saitek Aviator sticks for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. From the looks of it, these are mostly identical to the existing Aviator PC flight stick, with the notable exception of the requisite console-specific buttons, and a slightly spiffed-up appearance. As a bonus, each of these will also double as a PC joystick although, naturally, you won't be able to swap 'em between a 360 and a PS3. Look for both to hit all the usual shops later this month for $50 apiece.
Mad Catz Street Fighter IV joysticks surface for PS3
We at Engadget will always have a special place in our hearts for Street Fighter, and if you can't help but agree, you might be unable to resist picking up one of these. Mad Catz has introduced a new pair of joysticks for Sony's PlayStation 3: the Street Fighter IV FightStick Tournament Edition and the Street Fighter IV FightStick. The first will only be available in "very limited quantities," and it'll pack the exact Sanwa joystick and 30-millimeter buttons found in the official Street Fighter IV arcade machine; the latter is a more commoditized version with a more vanilla 'stick and plain jane buttons. Both devices are scheduled to ship on February 20th of next year, with pricing set at $149.99 and $69.99, respectively.[Via PS3 Fanboy]Read - Street Fighter IV FightStick Tournament EditionRead - Street Fighter IV FightStick
Mad Catz purr-ipherals see strong Q2 sales
Peripheral manufacturer Mad Catz saw net sales up over 50% to $25.8 in the second quarter, but that didn't stop it from experiencing a net loss of $1.2 million at the end of the balance sheet. CEO Darren Richardson believes the company's strong sales come from purchasing competitors Joytech and Saitek late last year.Although dubiousness still haunts the quality of Mad Catz products in gamer's minds, that's never stopped mom from buying one of the company's controllers because it's cheaper and asking, "What's the difference?" The company has certainly tried to alter gamer's perceptions of the company by getting the license to Rock Band 2 products. Although, like in the case of the portable drum kit, we don't know if it's making headway.
