After hinting at an upcoming release last month, PDP has officially unveiled the Riffmaster, a new wireless guitar controller to be launched this Spring. The PDP Riffmaster comes in two configurations: one that works with Xbox Series X/S and Xbox One, and the other for PS4 and PS5. At first glance, it may resemble the plastic guitar controllers commonly associated with the popularity of Guitar Hero and Rock Band. However, a closer inspection reveals significant differences. Notably, the Riffmaster features a note on the back of the guitar, an ambidextrous design, a 3.5mm audio jack, and a promised 36-hour battery life on a single charge. The disassembly of the Riffmaster is also noteworthy. Instead of detaching the guitar’s body and long neck to create a two-piece body, the Riffmaster employs a curved design, which facilitates transportation and storage. PDP Riffmaster – Official Reveal Photos
One removable piece of the controller is the pickguard, which is available in various designs, allowing for customization. This is a nice touch, especially considering that some Guitar Hero and Rock Band players enjoy adding stickers to their controllers for fun. The PDP Riffmaster will be compatible with two games: Rock Band 4, which recently released its final DLC, and Fortnite Festival, when Harmonix releases an update to enable the game to support Rock Band guitar controllers. Once the update is available, Fortnite Festival will greatly benefit from support for guitar controllers, as the free-to-play game is currently played with controllers and keyboards, making it nearly impossible to play with. “Fortnite Festival is essentially Rock Band on a gamepad, and it’s like playing a slow-motion shooter on an analog stick. Yes, it works, but it doesn’t feel like the right way to play,” remarked my friend. Luke Reilly wrote this in his review of Fortnite Festival, awarding it 4 out of 10. PDP has not disclosed the price of the Riffmaster, but the controller is set to be released sometime this spring. Taylor is a reporter at IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @TayNixster.
