With CES 2023 now done, there’s certainly been no shortage of new and impressive hardware shown at the event, which was held in Las Vegas. CES featured several OEMs and companies from small start-ups, all the way to larger, mainstream brands like Samsung and LG, to name a couple.
With that said, while there’s always been a special focus regarding mobile telecommunications and smartphone products at CES, we also got to see some cool gaming-related technology during the event, in the form of high-end gaming laptops, as well as peripherals which take a new approach to otherwise more “traditional” accessories. Let’s take a look at them!
Sony’s Customizable PlayStation Controller
First off, we have Sony’s Project Leonardo, a versatile and customizable accessibility kit that’s focused on giving full control to gamers with special needs. Sony says that it collaborated with organizations including AbleGamers, SpecialEffect and Stack Up, to design a highly configurable controller that’s also compatible with third-party accessibility accessories, and further integrates with the PS5 console to open up new ways of gaming. Sony gives an example of how the controller can be used:
“For example, players can augment their DualSense controller with a Project Leonardo controller or use two Project Leonardo controllers on their own. A friend or family member can also assist by helping to control the player’s game character with a DualSense controller or a second Project Leonardo controller. The controllers can be dynamically turned on or off and used in any combination.”
Additionally, Project Leonardo is also expandable via a system that uses four 3.5mm AUX ports to support different accessories and external switches. This will then let gamers to integrate specialty switches, buttons or analog sticks with the Project Leonardo controller. It’s a very impressive take on existing hardware, and does a great job of lowering barriers to gaming for players with specific needs.
ASUS’ ROG Raikiri Pro
Licensed by Xbox and compatible with PC games, ASUS’ ROG Raikiri controller might look like a regular game controller at first, but take a closer look and you’ll notice the addition of a small display located just above the Xbox home button. It’s something that we’ve seen before on the SEGA Dreamcast controller, but it no doubt has potential to be used in more ways than one as gaming software and hardware progresses.
The rear panel of the controller also features four additional programmable buttons, owing up to its “pro status. There’s also support for multiple connectivity options, allowing it to connect with Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz RF, or USB C. With that said, it’s interesting how this will fare once it’s launched for retail later this year.
Dell’s Nyx Controller
More of a concept than a market-ready product, Dell’s Nyx concept controller comes with a rather streamlined and futuristic design, as well as some cool RGB lighting cred. As for functionality, the controller comes with a fingerprint reader under the central button, as well as additional touch sensors located under the shoulder buttons, allowing for smooth scrolling motions.
The controller also adds more functionality thanks to the dual scroll wheels located centrally on the controller, while the back comes with shift buttons, which can enable various command presets. As such, right now it remains a concept, but proves to be an interesting innovative improvement on current market-available gaming peripherals.
