Thrustmaster Hotas Warthog Joystick and Throttle
As far the most expensive gaming peripherals go, flight sticks often command the highest prices. Ranging anywhere from $40 to $400, the highly specialized use of these peripherals almost excuses their price tag. Throw a lorry load of mice into the market and you’re likely to sell though them because everyone with a PC essentially needs a mouse. A truck filled to the brim with flight sticks, however, may not have as much luck. Only a small proportion of gamers enjoy games involving flight, and an even smaller amount will usually pay for high quality peripherals built for just that purpose.
The Thrustmaster Hotas Warthog Joystick and Throttle set is the epitome of this specialization. It isn’t just the expense of purchasing one that might make people think twice (often running to prices over $450). No, it’s the fact that they’ve been modeled to be a near-perfect replication of the controls used in an actual A-10 Warthog. Everything from the overall color-scheme to the tiny little switches and toggles have been meticulously tinkered with to evoke the feel of actually using an A10’s controls while playing a game.
Cheaper flight-sim peripherals are obviously available, but the Thrustmaster Hotas Warthog system definitely finds its own special way to stand above competitors. On a small additional note, games that use flight stick controls now are falling more into the category of space simulator than realistic flight sim. Does this mean that we’re going to start seeing flight peripherals based upon those represented in Star Citizen, Elite: Dangerous, and No Man’s Sky? Only time, and market forces, will tell.
Oculus Rift
Surely you knew that this was coming. It’s about as surprising as the time you see yet another Adam Sandler comedy featuring Drew Barrymore or Kevin James. Many of us dream about jumping into the world of virtual reality gaming and have done so for years. The Oculus Rift, now owned by Facebook, promises to bring virtual reality into the world on PC soon. We say soon because there’s no expected release date for the product, just that it’s being made and the consumer version will be ready when it’s ready.
You can buy one now though, in a sense. By putting down $350 you can order an Oculus Rift DK2. It will let you jump into the world of virtual reality, but this isn’t the consumer product. It exists solely to be used by developers to create experience for the Oculus Rift ready for its full release. Frankly the price of $350 might not seem too far out of reach for many. If the consumer version costs the same, people who bought a DK2 may find that their VR peripheral is a little outdated.
That’s why we dream of the Oculus Rift, though not because it’s necessarily out of reach for many pockets. The dreams flow as we wait patiently for the final product to be completed. Many games that are already available like Elite: Dangerous, Euro Truck Simulator 2, and Surgeon Simulator all make even this pre-release version desirable even if the consumer version is still some way off in the distance.
Haptic Gaming Vest
Continuing the virtual reality theme is glorious the Haptic Gaming Vest. Developed by KOR-FX, with others being available, the vest allows players to get a true feeling for what’s going on around them without the need for on-screen prompts. As peripherals go, this is more of an output system than another way to input your movements into the game. They sure do allow you get a real feeling for the game, though. By using a series of acousto-haptic signals from the game you’re playing, the vest gives explosions an actual shockwave that rolls over your body.
Specialized haptic transducers convert audio information from the game into movements across the vest to bring your experience closer to that of your characters. The whirling blades of a helicopter are much more threatening when you can feel them rather than just see or hear them coming. Technology of this type is still in the early stages of development, but the Haptic Gaming Vest really does give you a feeling that peripherals like this could be the future.
If you’re too impatient to dream of a day where peripherals of this type are readily available on the market, you can slap down $150 to wear one right now. They’re fully adjustable to suit your body shape, customizable in order to enhance the experience you want, and even applicable to music or movies. You’ll never have to dream of a T-Rex’s roar that washes over your chest any more with this; instead, you can experience those thrills in the comfort of your own chair.
Emperor 1510
Speaking of chairs, check out this beast of a seat. Forget the Iron Throne or St. Edward’s Chair, the Emperor 1510 is without a doubt the most coveted place to park your tukas as a PC gamer. With space to mount three separate 24 inch monitors, this is the best seat in the house when it comes to PC gaming theater. There’s no need to worry about speakers either, as the chair comes with a built-in Cambridge sound system that comprises of speakers and a subwoofer. There’s even a footrest for crying out loud. That comes in handy when you take into account that the Emperor 1510 is surprisingly mobile.
Not in a sense that the couch in Battlefield Hardline is though. The scorpion’s tail-esque mount for the monitors can be moved at will, allowing you to enjoy an experience as ergonomically as possible. Who’d have thought that an extremely specialized chair could be good for you. Of course it’s only use isn’t as a triple display for games. With the aforementioned ability to stretch a trio of monitors across the wrestle mount, you have a unique opportunity to display a main screen with additional information or websites open in those sat in your periphery.
As far as peripherals go this one sure as hell is a costly one. Weighing in on the scales at over $6200, the Emperor 1510 will require a substantial bank balance and plenty of space to really use. That’s why it’s one that most of us will only be able to dream of. Sounds crazy as an idea, looks crazy as a cost, and probably feels crazy to sit in. With that in mind though, you probably still want to buy one.
Optimus Maximus Keyboard
Okay I’ll own up to something right now. This isn’t technically a PC gaming peripheral. With a little tweaking and a lot of patience though, it can be. Oh and a whopping $1600 will also be necessary. All that money just for a keyboard might seem a little excessive because, well, it is. Thing is, though: the Optimus Maximus isn’t your normal keyboard. You can modify what’s displayed on each key along with it’s function.
Changing the function of keys is nothing new. Users of the Logitech G keyboard series have been doing it for years, along with those who own many other brands of board. What makes the Optimus Maximus special in its own regard as a peripheral worthy of your dreams is that you can change the key to whatever image you desire. Traditional WASD controls would probably look a great deal cooler with direction arrows in their place. It’d also be a fine way to stop developers moving that pesky grenade button to wherever on the keyboard they please. Put it where you like, then stick a picture of a grenade on that key.
Where this may actually be of most use though is in games where there’s a hot-key system. World of Warcraft, Diablo 3, Path of Exile, and countless others let you bind keys to different skills. While on your screen you see a line of amazing icons, the poor little keyboard beneath your hands looks the same as it has since you bought it – with a few faded icons and a Windows button removed out of pure rage and anger. The ability to change the display of each key to the one you want is special. Maybe not worth the price unless you have all the money you could ever dream off, but a nice thing to think about all the same.
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