Sony recruits Razer, Nacon to build pro-level PlayStation 4 controllers

Shawn Knight

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Xbox One gamers looking to stack the odds in their favor (short of cheating, of course) have at their disposal the Elite wireless controller, a pro-level gamepad that offers swappable thumbsticks and D-pads as well as interchangeable paddles, trigger locks and more.

The PlayStation 4 crowd, however, hasn’t had a comparable (official) solution… until now.

In lieu of creating its own professional-grade gamepad, Sony has recruited peripheral specialists Razer and Nacon to do its bidding. Here’s what they’ve come up with.

Razer’s Raiju gaming controller features two extra bumpers and two extra detachable triggers, an integrated control panel on the front, trigger-stop switches and hair trigger modes, two custom profiles that you can switch between on-the-fly, a 3.5mm headset jack with dedicated volume and mic mute controls and detachable analog stick rubber caps for added grip.

The Nacon Revolution, meanwhile, offers an eight-way directional pad, 46° amplitude dual analog sticks with enhanced firmware for accuracy and reach, four custom profiles and two internal compartments with six additional weights to help balance weight and feel.

Sony says both officially licensed controllers will be available for purchase in time for the holidays. No word yet on pricing although given the $149 price point of the Xbox One Elite controller, I wouldn’t expect either to be “cheap.” As a prospective buyer, I’d also want to know what sort of battery life to expect before making a purchase.

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This comes merely a week after sony said they were not going to make a pro controller to "keep the playing field level". so much for that idea.
 
So... you blow your wad on a controller that's worth more than your gaming platform in the hopes that'll you'll become an overnight gaming sensation. I mean it must be worth it, it's got "gamer" branded all over it after all and leave it up to Sony's marketing dept. to convince it's target audience that they'll rack up stats they'll want to shout from the rooftops.
Unless I'm controlling a vehicle or an aircraft, I just can't use those things. They feel unnatural to me.
 
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