Have you ever wondered what it would be like to combine PC gaming and console gaming together into one strange machine? Well, someone has beat you to the punch with the R-Handle Controller, a strange device that will be making its way to Indiegogo in short order. This cool, weird controller purports to provide players with the best of both worlds, all in one neat package.
The R-Handle Controller is simultaneously difficult and simple to explain. Ryan Brown highlighted the Indiegogo announcement for the “Rotary Handle Controller,” a weird little peripheral that is “a mouse and a gamepad integrated into one device for computer games.” And yes, it really is that simple. The design of the controller very simply tries to combine the best of both worlds into one device, although whether or not it’s a success will ultimately come down to the users.
The left side of this controller is used much like any other standard controller; an analog stick, D-Pad, and several buttons are available for you to use to move around your character. What’s unique about the R-Handle Controller is the right side of the device: a special kind of analog stick makes up the right side of the controller. Essentially, it’s a miniature gaming mouse resting atop a joystick, giving players a familiar sense of precision control while not requiring the use of a mousepad.
The controller has been through several prototypes with Version 0.3.1 currently shown in our header image; you can see the development history of the device on its official website. It should be coming to Indiegogo in the near future, and you’ll soon have the opportunity to own what is sure to be one of the strangest pieces of gaming tech ever made. No price or release date has been announced.
One questions remains, however: does the R-Handle Controller actually work? It’s hard to say without getting our hands on one, but the creator has uploaded a video showing him using the R-Handle to play _Far Cry 3_. It looks like it works pretty well, but only time will tell if this newest (and weirdest) peripheral will become the next sensation or a strange blip in gaming history. You can watch the R-Handle Controller in action below.
