Skip to main content

SplitFish FragFX Brings Mouse to PS3

SplitFish FragFX Brings Mouse to PS3

SplitFish, the video game maker with the funny name and the blisteringly unusable Web site, has announced it’s bringing PC-style, mouse-based gaming to Sony’s PlayStation 3 in the form of its new FragFX game controller. (PDF). The basic idea is to offer a PC-style right hand mouse controller and surface combined with a detachable left-hand grip controller, marrying the best aspects of keyboard-style and controller-style gaming for action-packed shooter games. If the FragFX looks familiar, that’s because SplitFish did something very similar with its EdgeFX controller for the PlayStation 2.

The mouse controller features a full complement of PlayStation 3 control buttons, while the programmable left-hand grip (dubbed the "FragChuck") features PS3 controll, the motion-sensitivity component of Sony’s Sixaxis controller, and two special controls: a game speed dial and a "frag" button. The game speed dial enables the player to instantly speed up or slow down overall game play (we don’t recommend trying this in multiplayer games); when users press the "frag" button, the mouse is slowed significantly to make for ultra-precise positioning for sniper shots and similar finesse moves.

"For years, first person shooter players have had less than an optimum experience when playing on a console," said SplitFish CEO Cisco Schipperheijn in a statement. "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."

Expect to see the FragFX in April at a suggested price of $59.99; SplitFish expects to ship a Bluetooth wireless version at a later date for $69.99.

Editors' Recommendations

Geoff Duncan
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Geoff Duncan writes, programs, edits, plays music, and delights in making software misbehave. He's probably the only member…
The best split-screen PS4 games
It Takes Two

There was a time when there was no other option for playing games with your friends besides plugging a second controller into your console and loading up a game with a split-screen mode. In modern times, thanks to video games taking advantage of the internet to allow for more players to come together, even across continents, split-screen play has slowly become phased out of most titles. Even PS4 games where multiplayer, co-op, or competitive is the primary focus are no longer guaranteed to let two players on the same console play together.

Whether it's due to technical limitations or trying to bring people into their online ecosystems to sell micro-transactions, split-screen gaming on the PlayStation 4 isn't always easy to do. But that doesn't mean every developer has given up on the old tradition of getting together with your friends for a glorious multiplayer session. In fact, there are some absolutely fantastic games that still allow you to team up or battle it out without going online. Here are the best split-screen PS4 games in 2021.

Read more
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War/Warzone Season 3 brings new maps and weapons
call-of-duty-black-ops-cold-war-and-warzone-season-3-roadmap-revealed

Activision detailed what to expect from Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War/Warzone Season 3, giving the community a road map featuring plans for a hefty amount of content. The next season begins on April 22, 2021.

Most notably, Cold War players will get new multiplayer maps and modes, along with additional Zombies offerings, while Warzone is getting a map update and new weapons.

Read more
Sony reverses plans to close PS3 and PS Vita digital storefronts following fan feedback
sony-reverses-plans-to-close-ps3-and-ps-vita-digital-storefronts

Sony is reversing its plans to shut down the PS Vita and PS3 digital storefronts following feedback from the community. Sony does still plan to "retire" PSP commerce functionality on July 2, 2021.

In a post on the PlayStation Blog, Sony Interactive Entertainment CEO and President Jim Ryan explains the company made "the wrong decision." He goes on to say that, "when we initially came to the decision to end purchasing support for PS3 and PS Vita, it was born out of a number of factors, including commerce support challenges for older devices and the ability for us to focus more of our resources on newer devices where a majority of our gamers are playing on.

Read more