3dRudder is a foot-based controller that made its first appearance at CES 2016, prior to its launch in March of that year for PC-based virtual reality (VR) headsets. The company has updated and revised the design over the past three years, making it wireless and expanding headset support. Today, ahead of CES 2019, 3dRudder has announced a PlayStation VR version, branded in PlayStation livery.
3dRudder’s design is all about making free locomotion a comfortable possibility whilst being seated, with the player able to twist, turn and lean their feet to control their avatar’s actions. They can speed up and slow down whilst keeping their hands totally free to shoot, hit, grab objects, and change weapons armed with their PlayStation Move controllers or the Aim controller.
The controller can be applied to any videogame where locomotion is critical, from first-person shooters (FPS) to flight simulators. Currently, 20 titles are compatible with 3dRudder, with the company saying that over 30 videogames will support the device when it launches in April for PlayStation VR.
Titles that will feature support at launch include:
- Sairento
- Bow To Blood
- Red Matter
- Ultrawings
- Pirate flight
- The Wizards
- Honor & Duty: D-day
- Honor & Duty: Arcade Edition
- Blind
- Operation Warcade
- Mind Labyrinth
- DWVR
- Darkness Roller Coaster
- Arafinn: Return to Nangrin
- End of the Beginning
The 3dRudder for PlayStation VR Edition works on a Plug & Play system. “All the player will have to do is connect the USB cable of the 3dRudder to his or her PlayStation 4 console. The 3dRudder will then be automatically enabled in the supporting games and playable in combination with the usual PlayStation controllers,” explains 3dRudder. This means that although the controller isn’t wireless, it is USB powered so no need to worry about batteries.
3dRudder for PlayStation VR will first be available exclusively through the company’s online store, retailing for $119 USD/€119 EUR. You can pre-order the controller now with shipments taking place in April. Later in the year 3dRudder will then be made available in retail stores worldwide.
VRFocus is at CES 2019 to report on the latest VR tech, so we’ll get hands-on with the new 3dRudder to let you know what it’s like.