Gamescom 2012 wrap-up

Posted on 17/08/2012 by Mat Smith

Cologne, city of cathedrals, chocolate museums and -- at least for the last week -- a little bit of cosplay. While Gamescom largely concentrated on the latest titles coming in the next year, there was still plenty to see for gadget obsessives -- especially when it came to PC mice and keyboards. Sony also had a few tricks up its sleeve at its press event before Gamescom had even begun in earnest. After the break, gorge on all the gaming hardware of note, in case you missed it on the first round. Tschüss!

Gallery: Gamescom 2012

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Filed under: Gaming, Peripherals

Gamescom 2012 wrap-up originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 17 Aug 2012 10:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Official Black Ops II gaming headsets unveiled by Turtle Beach, coming ‘weeks’ ahead of game release (hands-on)

Posted on 17/08/2012 by Mat Smith

The crowds that filed towards the hulking Call of Duty: Black Ops II stand at Gamescom prove it deserved all that floor space and nearby, Turtle Beach was finally showing off its range of companion gaming headphones, ranging from in-ear buds to top-of-the-range wireless gaming cans with some heavy-duty audio customization options in tow. We managed to take a look at the whole selection (which repackages several models from the XP series and the incoming Seven series). While these were still developmental models (the Call of Duty decals will be painted on, not the stickers seen here), it should give you a good idea how the headphones will appear when they arrive in the next few months. We've got details on all the headsets (and the press release) after the break.

Gallery: Turtle Beach / Call of Duty Ear Force gaming headphones hands-on

Gallery: Turtle Beach / Call of Duty Ear Force press shots

Continue reading Official Black Ops II gaming headsets unveiled by Turtle Beach, coming 'weeks' ahead of game release (hands-on)

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Official Black Ops II gaming headsets unveiled by Turtle Beach, coming 'weeks' ahead of game release (hands-on) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 17 Aug 2012 05:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tritton’s Pro+ 5.1 headset goes up for pre-order, promises gamers ‘true 5.1’ for $200

Posted on 17/08/2012 by Joe Pollicino

Thought Tritton was satisfied with only pumping out Xbox-licensed gaming headsets in the last year? Fret not ye' PS3 and PC gamers, instead, say hello to its latest cross-platform unit, the AX Pro+. Although its color scheme is similar to the Dolby Headphone-enabled AX 720 virtual surround sound headset, the moniker pits it as a follow up to the AX Pro. Like its predecessor, the Pro+ sports a trio of drivers and one subwoofer in each of its earcups, aiming to offer "true 5.1 surround sound." Among other design tweaks, its cups can rotate flat for added comfort (a sorely missed feature on the original), and the drivers have been repositioned for "superior surround sound separation and improved bass response." An included Dolby decoder box handles its connections, while the headset's inline remote allows you to adjust each driver's individual volume level, the balance of game / voice audio, and enable voice monitoring through its detachable mic. Better yet, the whole setup is powered by one wall plug, rather than two as was the annoyance with the older model. Discrete 5.1 headsets haven't impressed us in the past, but you can pre-order the Pro+ for $200 from Tritton if you're willing to give its cramped surround sound setup a try during Call of Duty fragging sessions come this September.

Continue reading Tritton's Pro+ 5.1 headset goes up for pre-order, promises gamers 'true 5.1' for $200

Filed under: Gaming, Wearables

Tritton's Pro+ 5.1 headset goes up for pre-order, promises gamers 'true 5.1' for $200 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 16 Aug 2012 22:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony rules out PS Vita price cut in 2012, works to lower the price later

Posted on 16/08/2012 by Jon Fingas

It's time to get realistic about the prospects of a PlayStation Vita price drop. Sony Worldwide Studios' head Shuhei Yoshida dampened the fires of speculation at GamesCom this week by telling Eurogamer that it was simply "too early" to slash the price on the gaming handheld -- it was only just launched this year for every active region beyond Japan, after all. That's not to say Sony is determined to keep the PS Vita at $249 forever. Much like what it did for the PS3, the company is working to bring down the price by streamlining part costs. The cuts might be necessary given the mismatch between the warm reception to the quad-core, OLED-packing hardware and the actual sales; Sony would "like to see more uptake" than what's been seen to date, according to Yoshida. In the meantime, we'll have to be content with bundles like the European LittleBigPlanet combo if we want to eke out a little more value at the game store counter.

Filed under: Gaming, Handhelds

Sony rules out PS Vita price cut in 2012, works to lower the price later originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 16 Aug 2012 15:37:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ars Technica, Joystiq | source

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Sony rules out PS Vita price cut in 2012, works to lower the price later

Posted on 16/08/2012 by Jon Fingas

Filed under: Gaming, Handhelds

Sony rules out PS Vita price cut in 2012, works to lower the price later originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 16 Aug 2012 15:37:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ars Technica | source

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Oculus Rift’s latest VR headset prototype gets a showing at Gamescom 2012 (hands-on)

Posted on 16/08/2012 by Mat Smith

"This is the latest prototype," the Oculus guys tell us. That's great, now strap us in. The team decided to make a sudden stop in Germany ahead of appearances back in the US over the next few weeks -- and we're glad, because it meant we got to call in on them and grab some time with the Oculus Rift. If you didn't know, the Rift is a Kickstarter-funded VR gaming headset (stay with us) that's caught the attention of several games developers -- most notably John Carmack. He liked it so much, in fact, that he developed a special Rift-ready version of Doom 3 for the headset and Doom 4 will also be heading to the VR peripheral too. We got to play with the earlier game and while there's a video after the break, we reckon you'll really need to try this in person to fully grasp how the Oculus Rift plays. Check out our impressions after the break.

Gallery: Oculus Rift prototype hands-on

Continue reading Oculus Rift's latest VR headset prototype gets a showing at Gamescom 2012 (hands-on)

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Oculus Rift's latest VR headset prototype gets a showing at Gamescom 2012 (hands-on) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 16 Aug 2012 10:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Razer Ouroboros gaming mouse hands-on

Posted on 15/08/2012 by Mat Smith

You recall the Ouroboros, right? Nope, not the mythical snake yarn, the latest gaming mouse from Razer that inadvertently broke cover over at the FCC. While it's been official for around a month, Germany's annual gaming convention has offered us our first chance to to get to grips with it. Razer has tied itself in a ergonomic knot over the Ouroboros, with most of the mouse's dimensions happily adjustable to suit practically any gamer hand. We get customizing right after the break.

Gallery: Razer Ourobos gaming mouse hands-on

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Razer Ouroboros gaming mouse hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 15 Aug 2012 16:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ROCCAT’s new Kone Pure mouse streamlines things, while ISKU FX keyboard adds some color (hands-on)

Posted on 15/08/2012 by Mat Smith

ROCCAT's latest addition to its family of mice is the Kone Pure, toned down to 91 percent the size of the original Kone. Now both smaller and flatter, it's dropped the menu button above the four-direction scroll wheel, and that scroll wheel now goes only up and down. It's a trade-off, but ROCCAT has added a new 'easy shift' side trigger which it hopes will ameliorate that fall in the button-count. This acts as a mouse-based shift function and you can customize how all of the device's other buttons behave when the side-trigger is depressed. ROCCAT also threw in a new FX version of its ISKU keyboard here at Gamescom, adding some customizable color skills and upgraded keys that are far more legible when not backlit -- a common complaint with the original ISKU keyboard. Switching from black to white fittings under the keys has also improved the keys' visibility. Take a tour of both devices in the galleries, then jump after the break for a little more detail -- including a new prototype.

Gallery: ROCCAT Kone Pure mouse hands-on

Gallery: ROCCAT ISKU FX keyboard hands-on

Continue reading ROCCAT's new Kone Pure mouse streamlines things, while ISKU FX keyboard adds some color (hands-on)

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ROCCAT's new Kone Pure mouse streamlines things, while ISKU FX keyboard adds some color (hands-on) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 15 Aug 2012 14:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Razer Deathstalker gaming keyboard announced, packs Switchblade UI LCD panels (hands-on)

Posted on 15/08/2012 by Mat Smith

It's pretty obvious from Razer CEO Min-Liang Tan's one-man presentation at Gamescom that he's buzzing about his new gaming keyboard. Ready to accompany the accessory maker's Ouroboros gaming mouse (hands-on impressions coming very soon), the Deathstalker will arrive in Ultimate and Standard versions. They both plump for chiclet-style keys and the pricier (and larger) Ultimate felt both light and slim. The standard issue packs three backlit color options, while the bigger board adds in Razer's light-up Switchblade UI, seen on its first gaming laptop. The first part of this is ten LCD keys that can be customized to gaming buttons or more typical PC use. They're still contextual, meaning if you launch the calculator from one of the keys, they will then transform into more appropriate calculator functions. Beneath that, a touchpanel LCD can act as a trackpad and accepts several gesture motions. It can also display your Twitter feed, game information and plenty more. The keyboard will also feature Synapse 2, Razer's new cloud-based settings service. The CEO explained that a player's custom layout and profile for the 'board could be stored online and then accessed from any computer it's plugged into, ready for your next (online) fight. Get our first impressions after our gallery and the break.

Gallery: Razer Deathstalker gaming keyboard hands-on

Gallery: Razer Deathstalker gaming keyboard announced

Continue reading Razer Deathstalker gaming keyboard announced, packs Switchblade UI LCD panels (hands-on)

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Razer Deathstalker gaming keyboard announced, packs Switchblade UI LCD panels (hands-on) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 15 Aug 2012 11:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Razer announces new Kraken gaming headsets: Pros get a pull-out mic (hands-on)

Posted on 15/08/2012 by Mat Smith

Razer wasn't done with the Gamescom crowds just yet, revealing its latest Lime-doused gaming headset. The Razer Kraken is readying for a global launch next month, with a Pro version (with microphone in tow) hitting your wallet for 80 bucks and the similar-looking Music and Gaming cans priced around $60. Razer's pushing the headphone's ergonomic charms and we'll admit, they were pretty cosy, with some good (but not perfect) noise-isolation at work. The Kraken Pro packs a 40mm audio driver and the wired headphones will work with your phone or any device with a 3.5mm jack. Get all the audio statistics on the Hulk-esque headsets in the PR after the break.

Gallery: Razer Kraken Pro gaming headset hands-on