Thursday, September 20th 2012

Razer Arcade Stick Enters 13th and Final Beta Phase

Press Release by
Cristian_25H
 Discuss (14 Comments)
Razer, the world leader in high-performance gaming hardware, today announced that its highly anticipated Razer Arcade Stick for Xbox 360 is now in the extended stages of beta testing.

First announced at Tokyo Game Show in 2011, the beta program now enters its second year and has spawned 13 iterations of the arcade stick. 200 gamers and modders from the fighting game community have been handpicked and equipped with the latest prototype unit, and with their feedback, will help develop the ultimate arcade stick.

This diverse pool of beta testers includes decorated pro-gamers such as Keita "Fuudo" Ai and Hiromiki "Itazan" Kumada - both Super Battle Opera, EVO and World Cyber Games veterans. Prominent modders the likes of Mike "PurpleArms" Cheng and Matthew "Gummowned" Gummo have also signed up with the beta to provide feedback to improve the arcade stick's moddability.

The Razer Arcade Stick is a tournament-grade fighting machine built to enhance gaming performance. Premium quality Sanwa hardware-10 highly-responsive buttons and a precision eight-way joystick-allows instant and near-flawless strikes, game after game, with utmost responsiveness and reliability.

The Razer Arcade Stick was built for modders and tested by gamers - ranging from beginners to experts, with full platform accessibility for further modification of gamer preferences inside the unit. Users may also interchange the top panel with new designs showcasing favorite games, as well as switch the joystick and buttons to suit specific playing styles. An optional bat top joystick, two extra buttons, and a Phillips/flat-head screwdriver will be included to aid with compulsions to customize the Razer Arcade Stick.

The internal compartment of the Razer Arcade Stick has slots to store the detachable cable, as well as the extra components, so gamers are able bring everything they need for the controller on-the-go.

"Years of collective experience from pro-gamers and the Razer community are about to culminate in the development of the Razer Arcade Stick, the ultimate arcade stick for the Xbox 360," said Robert "RazerGuy" Krakoff, president of Razer USA. "Engineered and refined to perfection with the help of the Razer community, the arcade stick stands out above the competition; it's truly for gamers by gamers. We are now in the extended stages of beta testing, and I am extremely excited about the feedback and what will become the final product."

Find out more and leave feedback about the Razer Arcade Stick over at: www.razerzone.com/bredtofight

Product Features

● 10 tournament-grade Sanwa buttons
● Authentic Sanwa joystick with ball and bat tops
● Interchangeable top plate allows for custom artwork finishes
● Fully-accessible internals and storage compartments for easy modding
● Honeycomb structure on the inside for easy screw mounting
● Storage compartment for alternative bat top joystick
● 13 ft. /4 m detachable type-B USB cable
● Phillips/flat-head screwdriver included for modding
● 2.5 mm audio jack for headset use (Xbox 360)

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14 Comments on Razer Arcade Stick Enters 13th and Final Beta Phase

#1
Fairlady-z
I think Razer needs to hold this arcade stick back some more, as MadCatz is not sold out of their entire inventory just yet. Also, if this is going to be a 360 stick why bring it out now and not wait until the 360 is replaced by its successor. I am mean to me that seems like the logical thing to do.

Seriously, can any one here give me a solid reason why this was so delayed lol. I am sorry way to late to the game lol. Not that is not a great fight stick just that there is a billion great offerings already available and this wont do anything they do for you.
Posted on Reply
#2
mtosev
nice old school look:)
Posted on Reply
#3
3870x2
I understand the old school arcade-feel and all, but I didn't realize that it translates well into competitive play.
Posted on Reply
#4
Mistral
One question for those who love arcade sticks... :confused:

Don't you sometimes wish that the handle was more to the left and further away from the buttons?
Posted on Reply
#5
3870x2
It does feel like there could be more comfortable configurations to be had here than a scheme that should have been obsolete ages ago.

Could a Fighter Pro give us some idea as to why these still exist? Are they still valid competitively, or just for nostalgic value?
Posted on Reply
#6
Tartaros
One question for those who love arcade sticks...

Don't you sometimes wish that the handle was more to the left and further away from the buttons?
Most of arcade machines are for 2 players and the control layout it's cramped like that, there isn't much surface, you usually play standing up or in a crowded place. It's a different concept and feeling, an arcade stick should be like this if you want to play like in an arcade way, it's not the same as using a controller in your house. And traditionally many tournaments of fighting games are in arcade machines too It's something different, really unique.
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#7
Katanai
3870x2I understand the old school arcade-feel and all, but I didn't realize that it translates well into competitive play.
Well almost all players in fighting games tournaments use sticks like this, some use Playstation controllers but none the Xbox controller. So yeah, this is what it's made for...
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#8
Tartaros
I spend hours playing kof 99 and crisis zone in arcade during high school, years later I tried to play kof in emulator with a regular controller... and I felt it awful, slow, not enough precission, I really missed an arcade stick. I tried crisis zone in ps2 and while the light gun was fine, the lack of pedal made it very different. It's about preferences, I knew people who played fps with a joystick, something I didn't even imagine how it would work out, but they did well.
Posted on Reply
#9
3870x2
TartarosI spend hours playing kof 99 and crisis zone in arcade during high school, years later I tried to play kof in emulator with a regular controller... and I felt it awful, slow, not enough precission, I really missed an arcade stick. I tried crisis zone in ps2 and while the light gun was fine, the lack of pedal made it very different. It's about preferences, I knew people who played fps with a joystick, something I didn't even imagine how it would work out, but they did well.
For the record, I prestiged multiple times on both the PC and the PS3 versions of COD:MW2, and after it all, I was much better with the mouse and keyboard still than the controller.
Posted on Reply
#10
Katanai
3870x2For the record, I prestiged multiple times on both the PC and the PS3 versions of COD:MW2, and after it all, I was much better with the mouse and keyboard still than the controller.
Of course you'll gonna be better with a keyboard and mouse in a fps game but no way in hell you're gonna be even decent in a fighter with the keyboard. Like I've said in my other reply, this is what it's made for: fighting games not fps or strategy games. Although in a rail fps like Crisis Zone this might work better than a normal controller.
Posted on Reply
#11
jihadjoe
KatanaiOf course you'll gonna be better with a keyboard and mouse in a fps game but no way in hell you're gonna be even decent in a fighter with the keyboard. Like I've said in my other reply, this is what it's made for: fighting games not fps or strategy games. Although in a rail fps like Crisis Zone this might work better than a normal controller.
Didn't CoD have cross-platform play between Xbox360 and PC at one point? I remember reading somewhere it got taken out because the Xbox players were getting owned so hard by the PC players to the point that the game became plain un-fun for them.
Posted on Reply
#12
Katanai
jihadjoeDidn't CoD have cross-platform play between Xbox360 and PC at one point? I remember reading somewhere it got taken out because the Xbox players were getting owned so hard by the PC players to the point that the game became plain un-fun for them.
It wasn't CoD it was a fps by Microsoft, can't remembered the name but yeah they tried it in the beta phase and exactly that happened. It goes the other way around too, if you would play with me Strret Fighter X Tekken and you would play with the keyboard and I with a controller, I would beat you so hard you would probably cry... :laugh:
Posted on Reply
#13
Bjorn_Of_Iceland
MistralOne question for those who love arcade sticks... :confused:

Don't you sometimes wish that the handle was more to the left and further away from the buttons?
I wanted that too :(
Posted on Reply
#14
HammerON
The Watchful Moderator
Very interesting...
In the late '80s and early 90s I played a lot of arcade games. When I was able to play on an emulator, say the Atari or Playstation, I found the controls very lacking compared to the arcade. This is still one reason why I do not play a lot of fighting games as I did back then. Trying to play a game such as Mortal Combat or Tekkan on anything but an arcade is just lame in my opinion. Heck - Packman was better as was Defender and (my ol' favorite) Centipede. The stick and buttons on the arcade made the game smoother (faster) to play.
This may entice me to play some games I haven't in eons:)
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