Updated
Updated · The Verge · Aug 21
Genki Launches $189 Manta Controller on Kickstarter With 2.9-Inch Screen
Updated
Updated · The Verge · Aug 21

Genki Launches $189 Manta Controller on Kickstarter With 2.9-Inch Screen

3 articles · Updated · The Verge · Aug 21

Summary

  • $189 gets earliest backers Genki’s new Manta, a customizable controller debuting on Kickstarter with a 2.9-inch LCD and a $279 planned retail price.
  • A dedicated Raspberry Pi RP2350 powers on-device tuning for profiles, button remapping, macros, thumbstick response, dead zones and haptic intensity, with settings adjusted through the screen and controls.
  • The hardware adds tri-stage triggers, analog face buttons with adjustable actuation, TMR thumbsticks with adjustable tension, six extra remappable buttons and a user-replaceable 2,600mAh battery.
  • Bluetooth, a 2.4GHz dongle and USB-C cover connectivity, while a keyboard-and-mouse mode aims to let players navigate browsers without another device.
  • Genki says Manta is its first controller designed fully in-house after an 8BitDo collaboration two years ago, and its ninth crowdfunded device.

Insights

With a hefty $279 retail price, can this Raspberry Pi-powered gamepad truly replace your dedicated keyboard and mouse setup?
Does placing thumbsticks above a massive screen ruin ergonomics, or is Genki's radical new design the future of competitive gaming?