Nyko and NVIDIA on Monday announced a new partnership in which the two companies will offer a new line of Android gaming controllers to support Tegra 3 optimized games. “To embrace the enormous growth of mobile and tablet gaming, our new controllers will provide physical and familiar controls to tablet gamers for a console-like experience,” said Chris Arbogast, director of marketing for Nyko Technologies. “Tablet games are evolving, pushing the envelope of graphics and performance. The only limitation has been the lack of physical-input controllers, until now. We are happy to collaborate with the veterans at NVIDIA to create dedicated hardware that’s optimized for games running on the Tegra chipset.” Nyko’s controllers will come in two models, the full-sized PlayPad Pro and a smaller PlayPad. Both controllers include dual analog sticks, a d-pad, face buttons and shoulder triggers. Along with supporting games in NVIDIA’s Tegra Zone, Nyko has also developed a free Android app called Playground to provide controller support for older tablet games. The PlayPad controllers are scheduled to launch this fall, and Nyko’s press release follows below.
Nyko Technologies Announces Gaming Controllers for Tegra-Based Tablets to Take Console-Quality Gaming Experience Mobile
LOS ANGELES – June 4, 2012 – Nyko Technologies®, the leading gaming peripherals manufacturer, today announced a new line of controllers to enable console-quality gaming experiences on Android tablet devices. Nyko is creating controllers to support games optimized for NVIDIA® Tegra® mobile processors, notably the high-powered graphics capabilities of the Tegra 3 quad-core processor. Available Fall 2012, the tablet controllers will offer a future-proof gaming experience, blurring the line between mobile and console video gaming.
“To embrace the enormous growth of mobile and tablet gaming, our new controllers will provide physical and familiar controls to tablet gamers for a console-like experience,” said Chris Arbogast, director of marketing for Nyko Technologies. “Tablet games are evolving, pushing the envelope of graphics and performance. The only limitation has been the lack of physical-input controllers, until now. We are happy to collaborate with the veterans at NVIDIA to create dedicated hardware that’s optimized for games running on the Tegra chipset.”
The Nyko tablet controller series/line features:
PlayPad Pro – Nyko’s full-sized controller for an at-home gaming experience, including dual analog sticks, d-pad, face buttons and shoulder triggers/bumpers for wireless tablet gaming in the living room.
PlayPad – Nyko’s mini controller includes dual analog sliders, collapsible tablet stand and a carrying case for gaming on the go
Console-style control for ease of gameplay, perfect for first-person shooters and other complex games.
No rooting required; controllers are usable out of the boxCompatible with all Android 3.0 and higher tablets/phones with Bluetooth® connectivity
The Nyko tablet controllers are being developed with input from NVIDIA to ensure compatibility with a large library of high-end mobile games optimized for all Tegra-powered devices. These games are available in TegraZone™, NVIDIA’s free app that showcases the best games optimized for the Tegra processor. NVIDIA’s Tegra 3 chipset delivers console quality graphics on mobile devices with the world’s only 4-PLUS-1™ quad-core mobile processor, including a 5th battery-saver core.
Nyko has also developed a free Android app, called Playground, to provide backwards compatibility for their controllers with legacy tablet titles, including those that currently utilize keyboard mapping, touch mapping and mouse support. Playground provides profile management for customized control schemes, as well as pre-set profiles for top selling and popular games. Like Nyko’s tablet controllers, the app will not require rooting of the device.
Fans and press are invited to get a first look at the Nyko Tablet Controllers at E3 in Los Angeles, June 5-7 2012, in the West Hall, booth #5000.
