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.
