Summary
Third-party peripheral maker PDP has just unveiled its new guitar controller, which can be used in music games likeFortnite Festival. These types of controllers used to be extremely popular during the heyday ofGuitar HeroandRock Band, as they allowed players to feel like superstar musicians as they pressed different colored buttons in time with falling notes onscreen. However, both these franchises would fade into the background in later years, and the guitar-shaped controller became something of a relic of a bygone gaming era – though it has been used toplay other titles likeDark Souls 3andFall Guys.
The rhythm genre has lived on in other titles since then, with the latest example beingFortnite’s music-basedFortnite Festivalmode. Epic Games added this new mode back in December, around the same time that it introducedLEGO FortniteandRocket Racing.Fortnite Festivalwas developed by Harmonix, the studio behind both theGuitar HeroandRock Bandfranchises, and draws much influence from the note-matching gameplay formula of those games. PDP, the company that made special controllers forRock Band 4way back in 2015, hinted at a new guitar peripheral last month, and now it looks like it will be reaching musical gamers soon.
IGN recently went hands-on with thenew PDP Riffmaster wireless guitar controller, which is set to hit stores in spring 2024. Some of the features this new guitar-like peripheral includes are a battery that lasts up to 36 hours, an audio jack for headphones, a built-in thumbstick for improved navigation, and even a detachable pickguard that could be replaced with custom plates down the line. Best of all, this new controller will be compatible withFortnite Festivalonce support is added in the future. There is currently no official price tag or exact release date for the Riffmaster controller.
Guitar Games Like Rock Band Could Make A Comeback
While the new Riffmaster controller is being advertised as aperipheral forRock Band 4andFortnite Festival, it could be used for any future revivals ofGuitar HeroorRock Bandthat could come inFortnite Festival’s wake. Harmonix is owned by Epic Games, and it is well within the realm of possibility for the latter to bring backRock Bandat some point. Meanwhile, Xbox and Microsoft Gaming head Phil Spencer recently spoke of resurrecting old franchises that his company has acquired in the Activision Blizzard buyout, such as the long-dormantGuitar Hero.
In the meantime, PDP’s new guitar controller looks to be a solid accessoryforFortnite Festivalplayerswho wish to add an extra level of immersion to their jam sessions or anyone looking for a replacement for their oldRock Bandperipherals. It could also help bring more nostalgic music-game players toFortnite’s new rhythm mode, as it does share much of the formula that madeGuitar HeroandRock Bandthe party games of choice for much of the 2010s.
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