Razer typically shows up to trade shows with a bunch of announcements to make, and it turns out CES 2020 was no different in that regard. Razer made a handful of announcements about upcoming products and concepts during the show today. The products it revealed include a new controller for mobile gaming, a compact desktop, and a new 5G router.
With services like Google Stadia, GeForce NOW, and Project xCloud comes the promise of playing console or PC-quality games on a variety of devices that wouldn't normally be able to run them, particularly mobile devices. While there are a number of gamepads out there that are compatible with phones thanks to Bluetooth, there aren't a ton that are made specifically for mobile. Enter the Razer Kishi, which will come in configurations for iPhone and Android and turns your phone into something resembling a Nintendo Switch.
The PlayStation 5 is coming really soon and yet there's still some uncertainty as to what it would look like. The "V" shaped console that was revealed in a patent and a subsequent photo may be interesting but there's also a slim chance that this PS5 was only meant to be seen and used by developers. It isn't just the console itself that is shrouded in mystery but the DUALSHOCK5 controllers as well. While rumors claim that the PS5 controller won't differ that much from its predecessor, at least two patents from Sony show how the company had ideas that could make the input device a lot more interesting.
How many ways can you improve a gamepad? Apparently, quite a lot. Microsoft has just made available the shiny new Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 and while there are quite a few upgrades that are noteworthy, not one stands out in isolation of the others. Instead, the new controller is being defined by a host of small improvements that together try to level up the console gaming experience by delivering comfort and personalization to a part of gaming that's almost too easy to take for granted.
Apple just revealed an Xbox One wireless controller in their online Apple Store - but why? Because just so long as you've got the latest version of iOS, iPad OS, or Apple TV, you can play games wirelessly with the Xbox One controller. This comes just after the launch of Apple Arcade, the brand's first game subscription service for multiple platforms.
Before game streaming services like Google Stadia and Microsoft Project xCloud stole the spotlight, mobile gaming was the big thing in the tech industry, where anyone and everyone tries to make a big or at least quick buck from anyone will to pay for IAPs. Despite the proliferation of titles, mobile gaming, unlike their desktop or console counterparts, mobile gaming hasn't been big on accessories, especially controllers. That situation may be improving soon with Honor's launch of its own GamePad and upcoming support for Xbox's latest Elite controller.
8BitDo is back with another controller today, but this one is a little different from the ones we've seen before. The SN30 Pro+ is arriving soon to fill that gamepad-sized hole in your device lineup, and it'll be launching alongside new software that allows you to customize pretty much every aspect of its functionality.
Google's launch of Stadia was a big deal for the game streaming market. It put the focus back on the nascent technology and, in a way, confirmed that it was the direction that the big companies wanted to take gamers towards. But when Google launched the Stadia Founder's Edition, it decided that you could only get the Stadia controller once and only during that order. It has made a U-turn and now lets you order a controller separately but with on major word of warning.
There's a new Xbox Elite controller in town, and if you take your gaming seriously - on Xbox or PC - then you should be paying attention. The new Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 made its official debut at Microsoft's E3 2019 keynote today, billed as "the world's most advanced controller" and with the hardware specs to back that big claim up.
How much more improvement can something like a game controller get? The input device has roughly stayed the same for nearly decades keeping the same shape and different only in button and joystick layout, depending on the gaming system. If you ask SCUF, however, there's still a lot of room for fine tuning, and its latest Prestige controller for Xbox, PCs, and mobile wants to show others how.
Google has teased its presence at GDC but it's no mystery really by now. Or rather, all bets are on the company not only formally launching Project Stream but also a possible gaming device. Given Stream's nature, that device could very well be running Chrome OS or even just a Chrome browser. If so, it will need some form of controller and although Google may already have one in the works, it's almost a sign of good faith that it's adding support for Nintendo's Switch controllers, both wired and Bluetooth.
Last year, Microsoft rolled out the Xbox Adaptive Controller. The strange looking device was created to make gaming more accessible by allowing those with disabilities to create their own custom button layouts. It's an impressive piece of kit that was extremely well received by the gaming community, and now it's about to get some screen time during one of the year's biggest sporting events.