FragFX Brings PC’s “Mouse/Keyboard” Control To PS3
Splitfish’s upcoming FragFX controller is set to come out next month and it’s looking to turn some heads in the process. As you can see from the picture, it’s basically a mouse with the PS3 buttons on in the thumb area that’s controlled with the right hand and the left part is a controller with the D-Pad and a thumb stick that would focus on the movements of your character.
One pretty cool thing about this peripheral is the idea of the “Frag Button” which actually dumbs down the sensitivity of the mouse in order to get those oh so sweet head shots with a sniper rifle.
One question though is how comfortable will it be to play with? Will gamers be able to sit back and play with the tablet on their lap or will they be forced to play it on their coffee table? Stay tuned to 1PStart for further information on how the FragFX performs when a wired $59.99 version is released next month, while a $69.99 Bluetooth version will be released later.
Press release follows the break.
SPLITFISH FRAGFX CONTROLLER BRINGS PC STYLE GAMEPLAY TO THE PLAYSTATION®3 SYSTEM
Peripheral Customized for Sony’s Home Virtual World NavigationEdmonton Mar 20, 2007 Innovative peripheral maker SplitFish GameWare, Inc today officially announced the company’s upcoming FragFX game controller for the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system. The patent pending FragFX features a separate right hand mouse controller and detachable left hand grip controller, ideal for experiencing the traditional PC mouse and keyboard style gameplay of shooter games in a console environment. Key FragFX controller features include:
* The right hand mouse controller has the complete set of PlayStation 3 controller buttons. The mouse is used during game play to shoot, look left, right, up and down for that same PC style game play experience on the PlayStation 3.
* The mouse is optimized for navigation within the recently announced PlayStation Home virtual world.
* A menu mode on the mouse allows it to double as a regular mouse during menu selections. A lap mouse pad and left hand grip cradle is included with the FragFX to allow for comfortable play in a living room setting.
* The left hand re-programmable grip (nicknamed the “FragChuck� by G4TV) has the full range of 6-axis motion control providing Wii-like motion sensitivity for the PlayStation 3. In games like Resistance:Fall of Man, to reload a weapon or to rifle butt an opponent, the user can swing the FragChuck.
* The FragChuck also offers a game speed dial and frag button. When the frag button is pressed it slows the mouse down to incremental movement for smooth sniper shots. The speed dial allows for instant fast or slow overall game play. These two additional features let the user get out of battles as fast as they get into them.Already SplitFish is generating buzz among gamers with their groundbreaking controller technology for PlayStation consoles. During the first hands-on preview IGN called the control the FragFX serves up “far superior to the alternatives.�
SplitFish CEO Cisco Schipperheijn remarked, “For years, first person shooter players have had less than an optimum experience when playing on a console. SplitFish’s FragFX brings PC-like movement, precision and performance to the console FPS. The mouse in combination with the FragChuck is a huge advancement in pushing the limits of immersive game play.�SplitFish’s FragFX provides universal game support and is expected to ship next month, with a wired version retailing for $59.99 and later a Bluetooth wireless version for $69.99. A limited amount of units will be reserved for European customers. The company previously released an award-winning FPS control system for the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, called EdgeFX.
Learn more…
About SplitFishSplitFish is a developer of original patented video game hardware technologies that include the theme park quality EyeFX 3D Adapter, the EdgeFX Competition Controller, the MotionFX Tilt-sensing Adapter, the GlideFX Trackball Controller, and the DualFX Laser Gun. For further details email us at info@splitfish.com or visit our web site at www.splitfish.com.
March 20th, 2007 at 8:23 pm
Is this the console answer to the pc’s mouse and “w-a-s-d” combo? Could this be the doorway for hardcore pc gamers to give consoles a try?
Please let us know how it works if/when? to get to try it. And thanks for bringing us this kind of news, keep it coming!
March 20th, 2007 at 8:41 pm
Sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet. I am horrible at FPS games with the controller, I’ll probably be giving this a try. Hopefully it doesn’t end up like my arcade stick, my DDR & Beatmania pads, and steering wheels collecting dust in the closet though. Oh, and I have a power glove too… I wear that as a fashion statement: “I buy failures of accessories”.
March 20th, 2007 at 9:12 pm
Where is the pad for the 360?
March 20th, 2007 at 9:17 pm
They’ll probably announce that this will be going multiplatform soon enough, along with MGS4 & FFXIII (I’m crying as I type this).
March 20th, 2007 at 9:32 pm
Don’t count on it you two, the 360 doesn’t allow for this kind of peripheral to be used because they simply don’t allow mouses to be used with their games. It’s stupid really because now that they’re trying to push RTS games onto consoles, I think a mouse/keyboard combo would work best with those kinds of games rather than the gamepad.
March 20th, 2007 at 9:44 pm
RTS games have been attempted before, and I hope they never succeed on consoles - simply because to be good at an RTS games you NEED the hotkeys. I will never forget the first and last RTS I tried on a console, Starcraft 64.
March 20th, 2007 at 9:56 pm
Can we get this on the 360 now? FPS would be easier to aim… New gaming oppertunites would open up… Its like getting a new controller, kind of like a Wiimote.
March 20th, 2007 at 10:34 pm
Hah. No matter how many times they try, it won’t ever catch on. wsad for life.
March 21st, 2007 at 2:06 am
Sounds like a decent idea, but I agree with Mazz that it won’t catch on. Personally I wouldn’t use it.
March 21st, 2007 at 4:52 am
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March 21st, 2007 at 6:49 am
Well, whether or not it catches on, I think we can all agree it’s refreshing to see a company try to be innovative with an accessory instead of taking what’s already there and adding air conditioned handles, or an extra sturdy grip. If more companies would do this there might be a lot more options for different kinds of gamers with different kinds of preferences. Whether you think you like the controller or not, you can’t deny the fact SplitFish has some serious gonads (and no strife, you flashmongers!)
March 21st, 2007 at 8:46 am
The problem is, people won’t spend more money to use something that’s already available for free. The only chance for change is Microsoft’s approach of having the controller work for the console and the PC.
March 21st, 2007 at 10:20 am
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March 26th, 2007 at 6:48 pm
Good site! kabababrubarta
March 28th, 2007 at 9:16 pm
Nah it’s not available for free. Certainly now you can use a keyboard and mouse on consoles, but not for gaming. No game lets you configure WASD as up,left,down,right… and you can’t use the mouse to look around or anything like that in games. So this would be a big step as I see it… I don’t predict it will be a succesful one… but I still appreciate the fact that there’s a company that makes accessories that’s seriously trying something new. I’ve never liked Pelican or MadCatz’s approach to just remake the same controllers bulkier, or with more grip or some useless feature like that.
April 15th, 2009 at 10:31 am
The topic is quite hot in the net at the moment. What do you pay the most attention to when choosing what to write ?
June 12th, 2009 at 11:19 am
Splitfish has another controller coming out this fall. It will be wireless and has a laser mouse.