In 2023, Asus will throw its hat in the Xbox controller ring with a unique piece of hardware called the ROG Raikiri Pro, also known as the “lightning blade”. The astute among you have probably noticed that the name Raikiri refers to a certain special attack from the anime Naruto. The controller includes all the standard inputs found on an Xbox controller, but what sets it apart is the 1.3-inch OLED display that replaces the traditional location of the Xbox home button.
The 128 x 40 mini-display, located above the thumbsticks, can be used for custom animations, microphone status updates, and notification of active controller profiles. It can also display animated wallpapers and will be compatible with PCs. It is worth noting that Asus only mentions USB-C connectivity for Xbox Series X|S consoles, so the full range of features for the Raikiri Pro may be primarily for PC gamers.
Asus Throwing Its Hat In The Pro Controller Space With the Raikiri Pro
On PC, the Raikiri Pro offers a variety of customization options including button remapping, trigger dead zone fine-tuning, and additional tweaking through the Asus Armory app. The controller also features trigger locks, a circular D-pad, and four programmable rear buttons.
Asus has stated that the Raikiri Pro is the first Xbox-licensed controller with tri-mode connectivity, including Bluetooth, low-latency 2.4GHz RF mode, and wired USB-C connectivity. While no specific release date or pricing has been announced, the company is targeting a Q1 release.
Whether the OLED screen on the controller will be a gimmick or an actually integral part of the controller remains to be seen. We’ll know much more about it once it gets out into players’ hands. Knowing the quality of Asus’ ROG line, it is quite possible that this controller will make it to the top 5 pro controllers list for 2023.
