ReviewsGaming

Hyperkin’s Duke Xbox Controller Is Every Bit As Ridiculous as the Original

My tiny hands remember the original, enormous Xbox controller with fondness. Not because it was ergonomic or a joy to use, but in the same way I remember other absurd and outdated technology—with absolute amusement. The original Xbox controller was a beast, and the tweaked and high tech $70 Duke from Hyperkin, that works with … Continued

ReviewsGaming

A Wireless Gaming Headset This Cheap Is Hard Not to Like

Not too long ago, I took a look at some of the most popular gaming headsets under $100 to figure out which one was best. And while my opinion hasn’t changed, there is one feature even our top-ranked headset didn’t have: wireless audio. Typically, wireless sound is a feature reserved for more expensive devices priced … Continued

Tech NewsGadgets

This Five-Figure Desktop Might Also Be the Most Outrageous Nintendo Switch Dock Ever Created

The Nintendo Switch is already the hottest console on the block, so how do you go about making it even better? By building a wildly expensive custom gaming desktop with a built-in Switch dock, so you can enjoy the best of the console and PC world, of course. Created as part of Intel’s 2018 Extreme … Continued

Tech NewsGadgets

This New PS4 Controller Is Riffing Hard on Microsoft’s Super Customizable Controller In a Very Good Way

One of the best controllers you can get for your PC or Xbox is the super customizable Microsoft Elite, but if you’re a PS4 fan you’ll have to go to third party peripheral maker Scuf to get any kind of customization. We’ve liked Scufs PS4 controllers in the past quite a bit, but its latest … Continued

Tech NewsArtificial Intelligence

An AI Created New Doom Levels That Are as Fun as the Game’s Original Ones

The technical skills of programmer John Carmack helped create the 3D world of Doom, the first-person shooter that took over the world 25 years ago. But it was level designers like John Romero and American McGee that made the game fun to play. Level designers that, today, might find their jobs threatened by the ever-growing … Continued

io9Games

Microsoft’s Controller for Gamers With Limited Mobility Comes with 19 3.5mm Jacks 

Aside from whatever motion-control tech Nintendo has tried to push, game controllers haven’t actually changed much over the last 15 years. And for a lot of people, that’s been a good thing, as it makes transferring years of hand-eye coordination from one console to another pretty seamless. But for gamers with disabilities, the standard gamepad … Continued

Tech NewsGadgets

Stare In Awe, Disbelief, and Envy at This Console-Covered Boombox for Gamers

YouTube’s My Mate VINCE has a knack for wiring modern video game consoles to old-school TVs. After perfecting his skills, he’s hacked together what is undoubtedly his greatest, most absurd creation: a resurrected boombox that lets gamers play their favorite titles anywhere they’re strong enough to carry this monstrosity. At the core of this portable … Continued

ReviewsGaming

Nintendo Labo’s True Promise

As far back as the NES, the video game industry has been trying to sell us unnecessary accessories. (Remember R.O.B.?) Companies have occasionally come up with fun alternatives to playing with a controller—think Guitar Hero—but when you eventually finish or get bored of a game, you’re left with a mountain of unwanted plastic—think Rock Band. That’s … Continued

ReviewsGaming

This Tiny Clone Perfectly Recreates the Commodore 64 Gaming Experience

Before the Super Nintendo, and even before the original NES arrived in North America, I cut my gaming teeth on the Commodore 64. It was sold as one of the first personal computers, but to many kids of the ‘80s, it was instead their first gaming console. I have many fond memories of the C64, … Continued

io9Games

Does Ready Player One Director Steven Spielberg Know What the Heck a Playstation Is?

Steven Spielberg is the director of very profitable movie and shameless gamer nostalgia cash-in Ready Player One, which is mostly set in virtual reality. While doing an international press tour for the movie, he also allegedly told Japanese news agency Kyodo that his favorite VR experience was playing Mario… on, uh, a Playstation. “I played … Continued

Tech News

Skip the Tourist Stuff and Just Lock Yourself Up in This Hotel’s Bananas Gaming Suite

If you’re a gamer who doesn’t want to haul a PC with you on vacation, you could book your next trip to Panama City where the local Hilton has packed a ridiculously customized hotel room full of high-end gaming gear and accessories. The beanbag chairs, VR goggles, and racing seat all make sense to me, … Continued

Tech NewsGadgets

The First Gaming Phone With RGB Lighting Is So Silly, It’s Awesome

I’ve been waiting for this to happen for a long time, and I’m actually a little surprised it’s only happening now. But with the launch of the Nubia’s Red Magic, there’s finally a gaming phone with built-in RGB lighting. For years, desktop and console gamers have enjoyed a wealth of gadgets and accessories with customizable … Continued

Reviews

This Is the Best Gaming Headset Under $100

If you’re serious about gaming, you need a good pair of headphones. And if you want to communicate to your team, you’re going to need a mic too. But that doesn’t mean you have to drop a ton of money on something that will address both issues. So to find out which headset does the … Continued

ReviewsLaptops

This Laptop Is So Fast, You’ll Forgive It For Being Obnoxiously Big and Loud

MSI’s GT75 is a laptop in name only. Measuring 2.2-inches thick and weighing over 10 pounds, even the mere thought of lugging this thing aroud makes my back hurt. Oh, and did I mention that’s before you factor in that this 17-inch gaming behemoth requires not one, but two separate power bricks, which combined adds … Continued

Tech NewsGadgets

PC Gaming Is So Hot, HP Is Launching a Second Line of Cheap Machines

PC gaming is booming. PUBG is hot, Fortnite is on meme status and sports moguls like Bob Kraft and Jeff Wilpon are buying up esports teams left and right. So in an attempt to get something out of the trend, HP the world’s biggest computer maker, is looking embrace the trend and keep step with … Continued

io9Books & Comics

Rick and Morty Are Going to Save the Universe With a Game of Dungeons & Dragons

Even though playing games is typically how Rick and Morty end up putting the multiverse in jeopardy, the dimension-hopping duo are about to embark upon the journey of their lives with the help of a tabletop classic. This August, IDW and Oni Press are partnering to publish a four-issue, limited series from writers Patrick Rothfuss … Continued

Tech NewsGadgets

Dell’s Renamed Low-Cost Gaming Laptops are Thinner and Faster Than Before

When Dell launched its Inspiron Gaming PCs last year, it seemed like a no-brainer. Instead of leaning heavily on flashy lights or the wild cases you see on Alienware systems, Dell’s lineup of affordable gaming laptops and desktops, all with starting prices well under $1,000, were focused simply on delivering high quality graphics at full … Continued

ReviewsGaming

My Family Died of Dysentery in the Palm of My Hands—and I Loved Every Minute of It

Before kids hunted for Carmen Sandiego, in a time when computers could barely muster a few on-screen colors, a game called The Oregon Trail taught students about the hardships of pioneer life. The graphics were terrible, the sound effects were awful, and more often than not, all your characters died. But it was the first … Continued

io9Games

The White House Is Very Concerned About These Sick Video Game Kills

On Thursday, President Donald Trump met with video game developers as well as people with the scientifically unfounded belief that violent video games—not necessarily the country’s rampant supply of easily accessible actual firearms—are responsible for mass shootings throughout the US. And let me tell you, folks, the president is extremely worried about all these wicked … Continued

Reviews

I Can’t Figure Out Who This Luxurious Wireless Mouse System Is for

You’ll have to forgive me, I’m working through a problem here. I’m faced with some seriously cool technology that gets me excited in a flying car, robot maids, vaporwave kind of way: A wireless mouse that never needs to be plugged in. No cord to transmit data. No dock or cable to keep it charged. … Continued