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  • Nvidia’s New Game Controller
Technology Articles > Entertainment > Gaming Consoles > Nvidia’s New Game Controller

It’s not everyday that Nvidia comes out with a game controller. So, when the company announced the Project Shield controller at the CES conference, the gaming crowd went wild. Now that the controller has been passed around a bit, a complete review of the controller can be had. While Nvidia never really set out to sell the controller (it was largely a prototype created for the company’s new Tegra chip), it looks like Project Shield is here to stay.

Why This Controller Is Getting So Much Attention

Interestingly, the Project Shield controller looks a lot like an Xbox controller with a small screen attached. Reviewers at CES found the screen to be on the small side, but gaming views can easily be switched from the controller screen to a television screen, so the size of the controller screen isn’t such a big issue. The controller can easily support games with resolutions of 4k, which is an amazing fact. When tested, the controller performed seamlessly, though the prototype available was a wired version. A wireless version of the controller will be available when the controller officially launches.

Nvidia’s controller is meant for use with Android games, and that means a whole new world of gaming – especially since the company wants to make this controller a complete gaming platform. Since this device is based on Android’s Jelly Bean platform, users will have instant access to Android apps, email, and everything that comes with using an Android device. Nvidia has placed the controllers buttons in a strategic manner that is also very comfortable to anyone used to handheld controllers.

Pricing and Availability

It’s hard to imagine that avid Android gamers would not want this controller. It’s a comfortable and versatile controller that’s powered by Nvidia’s new Tegra 4 chip, it doubles as a console, and it plays Android games. I’m betting that Project Shield (presumably, Nvidia will change the name of this controller when released) will sell rather well when introduced officially. If you’re wondering how much this controller will cost, you aren’t alone. Unfortunately, Nvidia is not saying much when it comes to dollar amounts, though you can expect Project Shield to be priced competitively.

Pricing also depends on how much consumers are willing to pay for an Android-based controller too. Nvidia can’t be too aggressive with pricing, but this device can’t be on the high side either. It will also be interesting to see if there’s room in the gaming market for another controller and Nvidia. The company has some stiff competition with Nintendo and Sony’s portable console options.

Then again, this Android remote does tend to bridge gaping holes between smartphone gaming and console gaming, so consumers might just be willing to pay more for Nvidia’s offering – and you can’t forget the 4k resolution support. Stay tuned for additional details about Nvidia’s new gaming console when the device finally hits markets later this year. What do you think about Nvidia’s foray into the Android gaming world? Is this a controller that you would pay a lot of money to own or is it simply too novel?