Riding high on the success of its specially designed arcade sticks and fightpads for Street Fighter IV and Marvel Vs. Capcom 3, as well as its recent line of instruments for Rock Band 3, peripheral manufacturer Mad Catz has decided to not only support existing games with specialty hardware, but to begin making new games, as well. Mad Catz announced its entry today into proper software development with the formation of ThunderHawk Studios, and also revealed the company is currently at work on a new MMO.
What kind of MMO does a developer owned by a peripheral manufacture make? A flight simulation, of course.
No prizes for guessing if Mad Catz develops a series of flight joysticks for use with ThunderHawk's new game; Mad Catz also owns European hardware manufacturer Saitek, which produces a series of high end flight sticks and flight stick accouterment so specific and detailed that it really puts that Racing Wheel purchase into perspective.
Mad Catz' new software development turn seems to follow in the footsteps of RedOctane, a similar hardware manufacturer behind high quality dance pads and rhythm hardware before the company produced the original Guitar Hero back in 2005. RedOctane's breakthrough title also played directly into the company's hardware expertise with its plastic instrument-enhanced gameplay. It's easy to imagine that Mad Catz' entry into software development could similarly be viewed as a way to sell expensive peripherals as ideal (or even required) attachments on top of traditional software sales. The bottom line is that Mad Catz may not be the craziest business decision you hear today...which, in and of itself, is super crazy.
Mad Catz says ThunderHawk's flight sim MMO is on track for release in 2012, which should give you plenty of time to figure out how to play a flight sim with the Rock Band keyboard.
Oh shit, I didn't notice Kessler!! Post is now 100% better
EDIT: wooh KESSLER IS bak
I"M STROKING MYSELF FURIOUSLY!!!!
Also a flight sim MMO? What?
Which leaves the completely baffling continuation of MadCatz's success. All the angry folk who bought a shitty pad from them in the past ten years should've formed a posse and ran them out of town ages ago, jabbing them with their knock-off styluses that had long since sharpened themselves into points. It's a little disheartening to see them do so well. I mean, you know, if anyone cared about peripherals. Don't buy a racing wheel, Vinny.
Well, I guess it's sort of inspiring to know that a reasonably successful company can be run by 9-year-old boys.
I don't care how far they've come with peripherals (well, fight sticks anyway -- who knows what garbage they still sell) this will not end well.
He's done plenty of article before.
Kessler it appears you have fans.