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The Riffmaster wireless guitar controller hits pre-order

Longing for the days of rhythm gaming with some slick instrument controllers? PDP has your back, with the new Riffmaster.

Lets’ shred

It’s been some time since there was a new rhythm game. There was the initial landing of the genre of course, back in 2005 with the very first Guitar Hero, which resulted in an impressive run for the genre. The birth of Rock Band, and numerous sequels for both games soon inundated fans with plenty to do and an ever-expanding array of tracks and instruments.

Then all was quiet for a while, till a new wave of games arrived with much the same fanfare. That second go at rhythm gaming didn’t last as long as the first, though there’s still plenty of great content out there when it comes to Rock Band 4. Now rhythm is back too, with a fresh title in Fortnite Festival. The only issue is, where do you get a guitar? Well, enter peripheral maker PDP and the Riffmaster.

The Riffmaster is a third-party axe that’s looking to fill the rockin’ bill for fans of Rock Band 4 and Fortnite Festival. The new controller will come in Xbox/PC and PS4/PS5 flavors, and will be fully wireless (up to 30ft for both). It also features innovations like a built-in analogue stick, a collapsable design, and a removable face-plate, none of which we’ve seen in a guitar controller before.

Check it out:

“At last, the wait is over…it’s time for gamers to rock on!” said Michael Lai, Senior Director of Product Marketing, Performance Designed Products. “Rhythm-action gaming is experiencing more than a renaissance – it is being redefined! Every aspect of the RIFFMASTER design is informed by PDP’s rich heritage in rhythm-based gaming, including a nod to the past with backwards compatibility. We cannot wait for fans to have their first jam session!”

Michael Lai, Senior Director of Product Marketing, Performance Designed Products

Also worth noting here is that the features don’t end with what was mentioned above. The Riffmaster also has a 3.5 mm audio jack and a very interesting “D-pad audio” capability, which should allow players to make use of “on-the-fly volume adjustments”. Add in the ability to play righty or lefty, and a reported 36 hours of play time, and you have a pretty great sounding controller.

As mentioned too, the Riffmaster is up for pre-order right now, and should be shipping some time this spring. You can grab one via PDP directly, or via Amazon and GAME UK (if you’re in the territory).

About Jason Micciche

Jason's been knee deep in videogames since he was but a lad. Cutting his teeth on the pixely glory that was the Atari 2600, he's been hack'n'slashing and shoot'em'uping ever since. Mainly an FPS and action guy, Jason enjoys the occasional well crafted title from every genre.

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