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Nyko Hits E3

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We have a chat with Nyko at E3 and find out what it's like to work for one of the world's top console accessory manufacturers.

E3 has been fairly sparse on hardware with only a few companies showing anything off hardware related. It hurts to see this, even if 3rd party hardware has had a lack of impact on console gaming as a whole. Nyko was there, and they certainly have one of the most difficult and interesting jobs in the industry: finding what’s missing with current hardware and fixing it.

I spoke with several Nyko representatives who told me that their jobs at Nyko are great. It’s fun doing something that is both necessary and wanted, and at the same time always questioned. As is known, companies like Nyko are often frowned upon by the hardcore gamers and 1st party companies alike, mainly because their hardware competes with those 1st parties. However, with the change in how 1st parties have been utilizing hardware, Nyko has been quick to change their stance on the hardware industry into making peripherals that complement 1st parties, not compete.

Nearly every product Nyko currently offers is a testament to that. Their Xbox 360 intercoolers are some of the best selling hardware add-ons on the market right now because Microsoft failed to make their console remain cool enough to not become faulty. When news came out that consoles were overheating, people snatched up intercoolers faster than anyone expected, including Nyko.

Yet the similar Wii Intercooler sold poorly when the Wii’s overheating problem was made public. Nyko expected to make great sales with it as well, but didn’t. My personal guess is that since most people don’t have their Wii’s online-enabled, they never had any overheating issues and wouldn’t get any. (The overheating Wii’s are caused by no fan power while downloading on Wii Connect.)

It’s give and take for Nyko, who is always looking for solutions to hardware problems. Some of their products like the Wii Charge base have been hugely successful because it allowed buyers to have rechargeable batteries for their Wii remotes and offered a better grip. However, when Nintendo released their plastic covers for the Wiimotes, the better grip was practically eliminated, and using the Charge base is impossible when the skin is on.

Little things like this are the main competition to Nyko, not other peripheral companies. Most other companies, such as Logitech or Madcatz, aim to cover a broader field by releasing competitors to 1st party hardware. Nyko’s main competition is time; to release their products as early as possible, and to make sure they work with any changes made right away or end production immediately and do something new.

Currently Nyko is not allowed to speak about litigation with Nintendo concerning their Wii Kama controllers.

Some of the products I got to see were the Intercooler TS models for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 and the PS3 Media Hub. Based on feedback from owners of the original Intercooler, Nyko found that their original design was slightly flawed because it received power directly from the console’s power source, which meant as soon as the console turns off, it turns off. However, some of the overheating problems occurred after the console turned off because not enough time to cool down was allowed. It should be noted that Nyko hasn't found evidence of overheating consoles after they've been turned off.

So to amend this, the new intercoolers feature an internal thermometer that measures the temperature and keeps it to a five degree stabilization zone. It also uses an external power source so that it can remain on after the console is shut off, but turn off after it’s cooled the console completely.

For 360 owners especially, such a feature is tremendous, though we’ll test it out in the near future to be sure.

The Media Hub is aimed specifically at PS3 owners who have the 40GB model, which only comes with two USB ports (instead of the 20GB, 60GB and 80GB’s four) and has no media ports. The Hub plugs into a USB port and provides three additional USB ports, as well as a slot for an SD or Memory Stick Duo. It’s also great for owners of the 20GB model, which didn’t have any media ports, but is targeted specifically towards owners of the 40GB model.

Its products like this that Nyko searches for. The only recent opposition to this is the Zero controller, Nyko’s high-end PS3 controller that was the first to have rumble, even before the Dualshock 3 was released. It may well be the last controller Nyko releases in this fashion.

Other solutions Nyko has created are the PS3 Frontman guitar, which functions with both Rock Band and Guitar Hero 3; the 360 Charge base, which we’re currently testing now and allows for easy recharging of batteries without cables, and many more.

Nyko is essentially a research and development company that uses real-world information to assess what holes they can fill. Everyone I spoke to said their jobs were thrilling, knowing that they are working to solve the problems left behind by 1st parties. Their products are more appreciated than ever, and they love the problem solving attitude they have. Sounds like a job I’d love to have.

Article by James Pikover.

Jul 25, 2008

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