Jumping joysticks! Hardware-maker Razer and MechWarrior Online developer Piranha Games are collaborating on a peripheral called the Razer Artemis . The prototype doesn't have a listed price or ship date, but this may be the first time a (what's likely to be) hundreds-of-dollars device will be sold for a free-to-play game.
Details on the prototype are sparse; Razer isn't even ready to show a real image of it yet. But the Artemis features a force-feedback joystick, what looks like a 13-button keypad (with throttle slider), centered by a display. At first glance, the middle section seems like it's designed to house a tablet, but the prototype image says this is an “integrated screen.” If I were making it, I'd want to be able to change the screen to show heat and damage, not just the in-game map.
I'll be seeing MechWarrior Online on the E3 show floor later today. I'll report back with anything I find out about the timing, pricing, or existence of this hardware.
