Razer Arcade Stick in final beta phase

More news from razer today as they announced at the Tokyo Games Show that its Arcade Stick for the Xbox 360 is entering final beta stage. The gaming company went through a total of thirteen revisions since the closed beta began last year, and is now finally getting ready for production. The product is inspired by arcade gaming machines, it features an eight-way joystick and 10 buttons. An interesting aspect about this product is that it's made for modders, users may interchange the acrylic top panel with new designs, and switch the Sanwa Denshi joystick and buttons with other components, without fear of voiding the device's warranty.

A launch date isn't available yet, but Razer did reveal that it should by out by early 2013.
Razer, the world leader in high-performance gaming hardware, today announced that its highly anticipated Razer Arcade Stick for Xbox 360 is now in the extended stages of beta testing.

First announced at Tokyo Game Show in 2011, the beta program now enters its second year and has spawned 13 iterations of the arcade stick. 200 gamers and modders from the fighting game community have been handpicked and equipped with the latest prototype unit, and with their feedback, will help develop the ultimate arcade stick.

This diverse pool of beta testers includes decorated pro-gamers such as Keita “Fuudo” Ai and Hiromiki “Itazan” Kumada – both Super Battle Opera, EVO and World Cyber Games veterans. Prominent modders the likes of Mike “PurpleArms” Cheng and Matthew “Gummowned” Gummo have also signed up with the beta to provide feedback to improve the arcade stick’s moddability.

The Razer Arcade Stick is a tournament-grade fighting machine built to enhance gaming performance. Premium quality Sanwa hardware—10 highly-responsive buttons and a precision eight-way joystick—allows instant and near-flawless strikes, game after game, with utmost responsiveness and reliability.

The Razer Arcade Stick was built for modders and tested by gamers - ranging from beginners to experts, with full platform accessibility for further modification of gamer preferences inside the unit. Users may also interchange the top panel with new designs showcasing favorite games, as well as switch the joystick and buttons to suit specific playing styles. An optional bat top joystick, two extra buttons, and a Phillips/flat-head screwdriver will be included to aid with compulsions to customize the Razer Arcade Stick.

The internal compartment of the Razer Arcade Stick has slots to store the detachable cable, as well as the extra components, so gamers are able bring everything they need for the controller on-the-go.

“Years of collective experience from pro-gamers and the Razer community are about to culminate in the development of the Razer Arcade Stick, the ultimate arcade stick for the Xbox 360,” said Robert “RazerGuy” Krakoff, president of Razer USA. “Engineered and refined to perfection with the help of the Razer community, the arcade stick stands out above the competition; it’s truly for gamers by gamers. We are now in the extended stages of beta testing, and I am extremely excited about the feedback and what will become the final product.”

Find out more and leave feedback about the Razer Arcade Stick over at www.razerzone.com/bredtofight.

Product Features: 
10 tournament-grade Sanwa buttons
Authentic Sanwa joystick with ball and bat tops
Interchangeable top plate allows for custom artwork finishes
Fully-accessible internals and storage compartments for easy modding
Honeycomb structure on the inside for easy screw mounting
Storage compartment for alternative bat top joystick
13 ft. /4 m detachable type-B USB cable
Phillips/flat-head screwdriver included for modding
2.5mm audio jack for headset use (Xbox 360)