PDP's Riffmaster Wireless Guitar Controller Will Cost $130, Out Next Month

ign.com:

PDP's latest product, the Riffmaster Wireless Guitar Controller, is set to hit the store shelves next month at a price tag of $130, reviving a market of plastic musical instruments that allow fans to live out their fantasies as rockstars.

"At last, the wait is over… it's time for gamers to rock on!" said PDP Senior Director of Product Marketing Michael Lai in a press release. "Rhythm-action gaming is experiencing more than a renaissance – it is being redefined! Every aspect of the RIFFMASTER design is informed by PDP's rich heritage in rhythm-based gaming, including a nod to the past with backwards compatibility. We cannot wait for fans to have their first jam session!"

After teasing the product in December, PDP officially announced the controller in late January. The Riffmaster has two configurations: one compatible with the Xbox and PC, while the other works on PlayStation, regardless of which platform you buy the controller for. The two games it is designed for are Rock Band 4 and Fortnite Festival. The controller should look familiar to those who played Rock Band and/or Guitar Hero during the late 2000s/mid-2010s.

Yet what makes this a contemporary guitar controller is the thumbstick behind the guitar; besides the 3.5mm audio jack, the latter is ideal for those looking to get some late-night sessions of Rock Band 4 and don't want to wake anyone else up in their house.

PDP previously noted that the device promises 36 hours of battery life on a single charge, an ambidextrous design, and a foldable design that makes it much easier to store or pack for travel purposes. While rhythm games with plastic musical instruments have been obsolete for several years, the Riffmaster comes with minimal competition despite the slim games at launch.

While we have nothing firm other than an April 2024 release, hopefully, Harmonix will finally add support for Rock Band guitar controllers in the Fortnite Festival. One of the biggest criticisms of Fortnite Festival at release has been