Anbernic, a hardware company primarily known for its retro gaming handhelds, is hopping into the world of high-end gamepads with a strange, but oddly intriguing, controller that contains a heartbeat sensor.
As spotted by our sister site Gizmodo, the Anbernic RG GO1 is a newly announced wireless controller designed to work with PC, mobile phones, and the Nintendo Switch. And it’s an odd duck. The RG GO1, which doesn’t have a price or specific release date yet, features a 2.5-inch IPS LCD screen in the center of the controller. This can be used for various tasks, including reprogramming buttons and turning on rapid fire settings. The just-revealed controller also includes heartbeat sensors in the grips. Why? Anbernic says it will let you “monitor your well-being during intense sessions.” Sure!
Other features included are back buttons, six-axis gyro control, rumble motors for vibration, dual-mode triggers, Bluetooth support, and Purple Kirin’s electro-inductive capacitive joysticks, which the company claims will provide “silky-smooth movement.” Plus, the RG GO1’s face is clear plastic, letting you see some of the innards of the controller, and I’m a sucker for that.
The RG GO1 is “coming soon.” We don’t have a price, but it will likely be more expensive than the company’s other controller, the $18 RG P01. But can you put a price on weird and cool? I’m being told, yes. Yes, you can.