Five wacky gaming hardware to look forward to

Computex and E3 2012 have just gotten over and we’ve got a whole range of new stuff that was being showcased. A lot of cool, wacky gaming peripherals and gadgets have been announced at the events and they’ve already got the gaming community enthralled and excited. Here’s our compilation of the hardware that has the potential to unleash the gaming monster in you. 

Razer Artemis controller

Razer's new partnership with Piranha Games and Infinite Game Publishing culminated in the Razer Artemis, a concept controller crafted to give gamers a competitive edge as they stomp and destroy their way to victory in the dog-eat-dog BattleTech universe. The BattleMech inspired Razer Artemis concept controller puts gamers into the cockpits of their favoured hulking metal behemoths, fully immersed and focused on the dangers of the battlefield, claiming wins for their chosen Great House. With fully-programmable, fine-tuned controls, the ergonomically adjustable Razer Artemis concept controller makes piloting a Mech more efficient and lethal in combat. 

Now that's what you call a controller

Set in the year 3049, during the early stages of a massive interstellar war, MechWarrior Online puts you in command of the most powerful war machine to ever walk the field of battle, the mighty BattleMech. Command your Mech and customize it to suit your battlefield role; upgrade systems, replace weapons, and tweak armour with endless options. And with this controller, it’s going to be double the fun.

Oculus Rift

Head mounted virtual reality glasses have been around for a very long time now, but they’ve never gone mainstream enough to be considered as viable gaming alternatives. One of the main problems of previous VR glasses was the immersion factor. Most of the headsets that were launched didn’t give you the feeling that you were an integral part of the game, as the screen was being projected. All that looks set to change now with John Carmack’s new VR glasses that he’s proudly showed off at E3 2012. Dubbed the Oculus Rift, the projection is done in such a way that all you can see in your peripheral vision is the screen, giving you unmatched levels of immersion. 

Presenting, the Oculus Rift! (With duct tape) (Image Source: The Verge)

The Oculus Rift may still be a very early prototype (look at the duct tapes!) and it has a 1280 x 800 screen that is split into two halves of 640 x 800 pixels. The Rift comes with a 90 degree field of view. You can check out a hands on video of the technology here. Gaming is all set to change for the better.