Custom, often impractical video game controllers are a tale as old as time. Who could forget the bizarre Resident Evil 4 chainsaw controller or when Square Enix released controllers shaped like Yuna’s guns from Final Fantasy X-2? Well, here comes a new challenger, as a Baldur’s Gate 3 fan has made a fully functional Xbox controller in the shape of the Mysterious Artefact.
The D20-like object is a key item in Baldur’s Gate 3 that starts out in the possession of party member Shadowheart. While we won’t spoil how it plays into the overarching story, suffice it to say that it’s one of the most important things you’ll have in your inventory throughout Larian’s RPG. But if holding it in the game isn’t enough to satiate you, Rudeism, a YouTuber, streamer, and an unorthodox controller designer, has made it into a controller.
Initially planned as a week-long project before last year’s Game Awards, the controller took Rudeism almost five months to complete after designing, building, and painting the device. On top of having 20 button inputs, the controller also uses motion controls to let him move his character around.
Rudeism has started streaming Baldur’s Gate 3 using the artefact controller on Twitch. You can also see some of the other wild controllers he’s made on the channel, like a fight stick made out of a baguette or a tiny car that works for driving games. Rudeism has cornered this market and you have tot respect the ingenuity of the craft.
While players like Rudeism are still enjoying Baldur’s Gate 3 in a variety of ways Larian Studios made the decision to leave the series behind after its success. I admire the restraint and am glad that the studio is investing in its own IP. It does leave one to wonder what the future holds for the Baldur’s Gate name moving forward, as Hasbro is looking for a new developer to take on the franchise.
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