Gaming - Yanko Design

How a Modular Laptop Became a Handheld Gaming PC With Joy-Cons

JC Torres — Wed, 09 Jul 2025 13:20:25 +0000

Modular design has always promised endless possibilities, but rarely do we see someone take that promise and run with it quite this boldly. A creative designer recently decided that the Framework 12 laptop needed something extra, something that would transform it from a standard convertible into a handheld gaming powerhouse. The solution? Custom 3D-printed rails that let Nintendo Joy-Cons snap directly onto the laptop’s sides.

The result is both ingenious and slightly ridiculous, which makes it absolutely perfect for the maker community. This isn’t just another tech hack, it’s a statement about what happens when modular hardware meets unbridled creativity. The designer even shared the STL files for free, turning their weekend project into a blueprint for anyone with access to a 3D printer.

Designer: Sskki

The Mod At A Glance

What makes this mod particularly clever is how it embraces the Framework’s core philosophy rather than fighting against it. The custom rails slide seamlessly into the laptop’s expansion slots, the same system designed for USB ports and SD card readers. It’s modularity taken to its logical extreme, proving that the Framework’s expansion card system has potential far beyond what its creators originally envisioned.

The execution is surprisingly polished too. The 3D-printed rails don’t look like aftermarket add-ons, they integrate so naturally with the laptop’s design that you might mistake them for official accessories. The Joy-Cons attach with satisfying clicks, and the whole setup maintains the Framework’s clean, professional aesthetic while adding that unmistakable gaming flair.

Reality Check

But let’s be honest about what this mod actually delivers. The Framework 12 weighs 1.3 kilograms and spans 287 millimeters wide, making it roughly three times heavier and significantly bulkier than any traditional handheld gaming device. Your arms will definitely feel the workout after extended gaming sessions, and forget about slipping this into your jacket pocket.

The Joy-Cons connect via Bluetooth rather than the direct electrical connection they enjoy with the Nintendo Switch. This introduces potential input lag and means you’ll need to remember to charge the controllers separately. More frustrating still, the custom rails occupy the laptop’s precious expansion slots, blocking access to other ports while the controllers are attached.

There’s also the practical reality that once those rails are installed, your laptop transforms from a sleek professional machine into something that screams “I take my gaming very seriously.” Good luck explaining that setup during your next video conference call, especially when you realize you can’t access your USB ports without removing the controllers first.

Framework Joystick Module (Designer: Wiktor_Tomanek)

PSP Joystick Expansion Card (Designer: Nils_Schulte)

Quick Answers

Can you use Nintendo Joy-Cons on a PC?

Yes, Joy-Cons can pair with most modern laptops via Bluetooth, though they lack the seamless integration they have with the Switch.

What makes the Framework 12 special?

Its modular expansion card system allows for easy upgrades, repairs, and creative modifications like this Joy-Con adapter.

How does 3D printing enable hardware mods?
3D printing allows makers to create custom expansion cards and accessories, unlocking new possibilities for modular laptop design.

The Bigger Picture

Yet none of these limitations diminish what this project represents. It’s a proof of concept that demonstrates the creative potential lurking within truly modular hardware. The designer didn’t set out to create the perfect handheld gaming device, they wanted to explore what was possible when you stop thinking about laptops as fixed-function machines.

This mod succeeds because it makes us reimagine what personal computing devices could become. In a landscape dominated by sealed, non-repairable gadgets, projects like this remind us that the most interesting innovations often emerge from users themselves. The Framework 12 Joy-Con mod might be more novelty than necessity, but it represents the kind of experimental thinking that pushes boundaries and inspires others to see familiar technology through fresh eyes.

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GamerCard Turns Raspberry Pi Into the World’s Slimmest Retro Handheld

JC Torres — Mon, 07 Jul 2025 21:30:16 +0000

The retro gaming revival has produced countless handhelds, but few have dared to reimagine the very concept of portable gaming quite like this. Grant Sinclair, nephew of ZX Spectrum inventor Sir Clive Sinclair, has created the GamerCard, a Raspberry Pi-powered handheld that’s literally the size and shape of a retail gift card. At just 6.5mm thick and weighing only 100 grams, it challenges everything we think we know about handheld console design.

What makes the GamerCard extraordinary isn’t just its ultra-thin profile, but how it embraces an entirely different design philosophy. While most handhelds chase the chunky, ergonomic aesthetic of traditional gaming devices, the GamerCard opts for something radically minimal. The device features a 4-inch square IPS display with 254 PPI density, protected by sapphire glass and sandwiched between layers in a patented PCB construction that eliminates bulky casing entirely.

Designer: Grant Sinclair

The Design Revolution

The engineering behind this design is genuinely impressive. The GamerCard packs a Raspberry Pi Zero 2W with a quad-core ARM Cortex-A53 processor, 512MB of RAM, and 128GB of storage into its impossibly thin form factor. An integrated heat sink ensures stable performance despite the minimal thickness, while a 1,600mAh battery provides reasonable gaming sessions without adding bulk.

The control scheme is equally unconventional. Instead of traditional buttons and thumbsticks, the GamerCard uses large silicone control pads on the front and smaller shoulder pads on the back. This creates a unique tactile experience that’s more akin to operating a high-tech touch interface than a conventional gamepad, though it might take some getting used to for traditional gaming enthusiasts.

Innovation in Miniaturization

The device isn’t just about gaming either. With built-in Qwiic, USB-C, and HDMI ports, it can transform into a complete Raspberry Pi-powered computer when connected to peripherals. This modularity extends its utility far beyond retro gaming into education, development, and general computing, making it a versatile tool for makers and educators who appreciate the Raspberry Pi ecosystem.

The GamerCard supports emulators like RetroPie, Recalbox, and Lakka, enabling it to play thousands of games from classic systems. It also comes with preloaded arcade games and supports PICO-8 development, offering both immediate entertainment and creative possibilities for those interested in game development or coding education.

Quick Answers

What is the GamerCard?

A gift card-sized handheld gaming console powered by a Raspberry Pi Zero 2W, featuring a 4-inch square display and the ability to run thousands of retro games through emulation.

What games can it run?

The GamerCard supports classic system emulators and comes with preloaded arcade games, plus compatibility with PICO-8 for indie game development.

How does it compare to other retro consoles?

At 6.5mm thick and 100 grams, it’s significantly thinner and lighter than any comparable handheld, though it sacrifices traditional gaming ergonomics for extreme portability.

Can you build your own Raspberry Pi handheld?

Yes, but the GamerCard’s ultra-thin design requires specialized PCB construction and engineering that would be difficult to replicate in a DIY project.

The Trade-offs

Of course, this radical approach to handheld design comes with trade-offs. The unconventional control scheme may not suit everyone, particularly those accustomed to traditional gaming layouts. The square screen, while visually striking, isn’t ideal for all classic games designed for different aspect ratios. Battery life, while respectable, can’t match larger devices with more substantial power cells.

The £125 ($170) price point also positions it as more of a premium curiosity than a mainstream gaming device. It’s clearly designed for enthusiasts, collectors, and those who appreciate innovative design over pure gaming performance, making it a fascinating example of how thoughtful engineering can completely reframe our expectations of portable gaming hardware.

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3D Printing Revives Atari Lynx Design for a New Generation of Handhelds

JC Torres — Sat, 05 Jul 2025 22:30:49 +0000

The gaming world is in the middle of a handheld renaissance, with flashy new devices launching every season and nostalgia-fueled fans snapping up anything with a screen and buttons. But for those who’ve been around the block a few times, the idea of carrying arcade-quality games in your hands isn’t exactly breaking news. Way back in 1989, the Atari Lynx staked its claim as the first color handheld, showing off a bold form factor and catalog of quirky titles that made it a cult favorite, even if it never reached Game Boy levels of stardom.

The Lynx was a marvel for its time, with a bright (for the era) color LCD and a chunky build that felt like holding the future. Of course, the future turned out to be a little heavy and a lot hungry for batteries. The original screen was notorious for ghosting and washed-out colors, and you could almost watch the battery bar drop as you played. Still, its library and unique design kept it close to the hearts of retro gaming fans, long after production stopped.

Designer: Cees Meijer

Fast forward to today, and the barriers to reviving classic tech have never been lower. Thanks to 3D printing and the steady march of affordable, powerful microcontrollers, a new era of DIY ingenuity is making it possible to breathe modern life into vintage designs. Hobbyists and engineers are picking up their soldering irons, firing up their CAD software, and remixing the old with the new in ways that would have seemed impossible a decade ago.

The Atari Lynx recreation project is a perfect example of this creative energy. Rather than settling for a dusty unit with faded pixels, the project’s creator set out to build a modern equivalent from the ground up. The new Lynx keeps the spirit of the original but swaps out that clunky LCD for a crisp, modern display. No more squinting to make out the action, and no more rainbow trails following every sprite. Under the shell, updated electronics run emulation software, so you can access the entire Lynx library from a single, sleek device.

Battery woes? Not here. The project uses lithium-polymer cells and USB charging, offering hours of play and compatibility with power banks. There’s even talk of HDMI output, letting you go from solo handheld sessions to big-screen multiplayer in seconds. The ergonomic tweaks and improved button feel are subtle but important, showing just how much thought goes into making an old idea work for new hands.

What’s truly exciting is how projects like this are opening up the world of retro gaming to a new audience. The files and documentation are shared online, letting anyone with a 3D printer and a bit of patience craft their own Lynx-inspired handheld. No need to scour auction sites for rare cartridges or worry about cracked screens: just print, assemble, and play. In the process, a new generation gets to appreciate the design quirks and simple joys of a handheld that was ahead of its time.

It’s a reminder that the best ideas never really go away. They just get rediscovered, reimagined, and rebuilt—sometimes by the very people who grew up loving them. The Lynx may have been a bit before its time, but thanks to modern makers and a little bit of tech magic, its story is getting a well-deserved second act.

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Gaming Dice turned into Gentleman’s EDC: Meet the 7-in-1 Prophecy Dice Spinner

Sarang Sheth — Sat, 05 Jul 2025 01:45:33 +0000

So, I was in Macau a month and a half ago, walking through all the grand casinos to get to the expo venues where I was attending a trade show. The casinos were decked up in a rather Vegas-like fashion. Glitz, glamor, gold, with a hint of scarlet. You’d see lush green boards with red dice rolling around, and while that looked nice, a month later, I was in a D&D campaign, using similar dice, looking at it and just thinking – these look so out of place with the mythic/mystic/rustic vibe of my game. The reality is, most polyhedral dice are sort of a template – six or more sides, made from either plastic or, if you’re lucky, metal, with really no aesthetic match to the game you’re playing. Enter Prophecy Dice, the latest oddball object to catch the attention of the RPG crowd and, frankly, anyone who loves a slick gadget.

What if dice don’t look like dice? Asked the guys at Dragonstonegaming, who developed the Prophecy Dice – a pocket-watch-shaped gizmo that fits a trigger-activated spinner with a ‘Dice meets Wheel of Fortune’ vibe. The spinner looks like something from an alternate timeline where Victorian-era adventurers carried precision instruments for determining their fates. Press a button, watch the internal mechanism spin, and let the pointer reveal your roll. It carries the ceremonial weight of traditional dice rolling but packages it in a form factor that appeals to the EDC enthusiast in me, but more broadly, really fits the thematic DNA of RPG games. It’s engineered for “balanced and fair” outcomes, which is always the line, but Dragonstone appears to have invested in actual spin-testing and symmetry too.

Designer: Dragonstonegaming

Click Here to Buy Now: $69 ~~$118~~ (42% off) Hurry! Only 150 left of 2300.

The mechanism feels less like rolling dice and more like spinning the Wheel of Fortune, with a tactile immediacy that’s weirdly addictive. You select your die type (d4 through d100, all the classics), line up the internal indicator, and let it rip. The pointer snaps to rest in a window, and boom – you’ve got your roll. The simplicity is deceptive; this is a precision-milled device, not a kitchen timer, and the Kickstarter video shows off the smooth, almost hypnotic spin.

At first glance, this feels like peak EDC gadget territory – the kind of thing that makes you wonder if we really needed to reinvent the humble d20. But dig deeper into the engineering, and there’s actually some thoughtful design philosophy at work here. The all-metal construction addresses one of the biggest complaints about traditional dice: inconsistency. Anyone who’s spent serious time rolling knows that cheap plastic dice can be weighted, chipped, or just plain unreliable. Metal spinners, when properly balanced, eliminate those variables entirely.

The 7-in-1 functionality is where this gets interesting from a UX perspective. Instead of fumbling through a bag of different polyhedrals mid-game, you’re looking at a single device that covers d4, d6, d8, d10, d12, d20, and d100. The push-button mechanism feels deliberately analog in our increasingly digital world, giving you that tactile feedback that smartphone dice apps can never replicate. Windows on both sides of the dice let you access the different ‘polyhedra’.

What really sells me on the design is the pocket watch aesthetic. This could have easily been another generic gadget in a plastic housing, but Dragonstone Gaming understood that EDC gear for D&D needs to look the part. The metallic finish and classic proportions mean this actually works as a conversation starter, especially if your game is centered around vintage or steampunk themes. The Dice comes in two styles – one with a storm-summoning witch named Selene Tidecaller, and another with a valiant Knight named Edric Thornsworn. Both designs have the same relief-style carving on the front, back, and sides, making this truly look like something your great-grandfather would hand down to you.

Selene Tidecaller

Edric Thornsworn

The engineering challenges here are more complex than they initially appear. Creating a truly balanced spinner that delivers fair results across seven different dice types requires precise calibration of weight distribution, friction coefficients, and stopping mechanisms. Traditional dice rely on physics and probability over thousands of rolls, but a spinner needs to be mathematically fair on every single use. The fact that they’re claiming “balanced and fair” results suggests they’ve put serious thought into the internal mechanics, though I’d love to see some independent testing data on the actual randomness distribution.

The Kickstarter numbers are, frankly, wild. Prophecy Dice aimed for a modest $2,000 and currently sits north of $340,000 with weeks left to go, over 3,300 backers deep. That’s not just hype, that’s people with dice fatigue looking for something better, or at least different. Tabletop gaming lives and dies by its rituals and accessories, and Prophecy Dice slots perfectly into the EDC arms race: a gadget that feels essential without ever being necessary. The $69 price is what you’d expect for a premium, all-metal, limited-run object, but backers seem happy to pay for novelty that actually works. The campaign is loaded with stretch goals and metallic finishes, and I wouldn’t be surprised if custom engravings show up next.

Although I’m curious to see how it holds up to months of real play. Will the spin wear out? Will the mechanism jam after a few too many critical fails? That’s the risk with any Kickstarter, especially one that blends analog charm with moving parts. However, this isn’t Dragonstonegaming’s first campaign. Their SpinDice from last year also blew past its funding goal, with over 800 backers bringing the project to life. The Prophecy Dice feels like the next iteration, and ships with an optional leather handmade slip case, or a ‘relic’ mount. The Prophecy Dice ships globally starting October 2025.

Click Here to Buy Now: $69 ~~$118~~ (42% off) Hurry! Only 150 left of 2300.
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Mini keyboard snaps onto your PS5 DualSense to give you QWERTY accessibility

Sarang Sheth — Wed, 02 Jul 2025 19:15:56 +0000

There’s a moment in every heated Overwatch match when the urge to type “Group up!” surges, but you’re caught, literally, with your hands full. Or maybe you’re in the middle of a high-stakes raid, your squad is teetering on chaos, and you need to send a strategic message, except you’re fumbling for the right key, squinting at the screen, or worse, you’ve just been ambushed mid-sentence. The reality is that multiplayer gaming is as much about communication as it is about reflexes, and yet, our hardware hasn’t caught up with our social needs. That’s where the Fintin Xpander comes crashing through the wall like the Kool-Aid Man of tactile tech.

Let’s talk about the most criminally overlooked gap in gaming: frictionless, in-the-moment typing. Voice chat is great if you want your entire household to hear your trash talk, but sometimes, text is the only way to strategize on the fly, especially for those who game in shared spaces (or just value a little privacy). The Xpander is a pocket-sized marvel built by ONECOM, and it’s not a keyboard in the traditional sense. It’s a structured mini QWERTY system that condenses 36 keys onto just 6 tactile buttons, each designed for blind operation. You don’t need to see it; you just need to feel it, which makes it a godsend for visually impaired gamers, but also for anyone who’s ever tried to type “gg” on a controller and ended up sending “ggrrrr.”

Designer: MGMC Design for ONECOM

The Xpander is small, but it’s no toy. Using a multi-layered input system, it allows full QWERTY text entry with a thumb-sized footprint. The innovation is in the “Structured Mini QWERTY” layout, which, once learned, feels like unlocking a cheat code for communication. Each tactile button serves as a gateway to multiple characters, and the learning curve is refreshingly short; in demos, users were able to blind-type familiar phrases after less than half an hour. This isn’t just a boon for accessibility; it’s a genuine productivity hack for anyone who’s ever felt the social lag between thought and typed word.

Here’s the kicker: the Xpander isn’t chained to a single platform. It plays nicely with DualSense-enabled PCs, iPhones, iPads, and most Bluetooth devices, instantly expanding its utility beyond gaming. Messaging in Discord while streaming? Done. Quick in-game translation for that global squad? The Xpander has built-in AI-powered transcription and translation on tap, and it’s genuinely fast. Latency is kept to under 20 milliseconds, which puts it in the same ballpark as pro gaming peripherals, and the battery is rated for 30 hours of continuous use, enough for even the most dedicated marathons.

The Xpander essentially plugs a hole in the social fabric of gaming. Text chat is often the first casualty in a controller-based setup, relegated to clunky on-screen keyboards or ignored altogether. That’s not good enough for modern multiplayer. Whether you’re rallying a team, sending a meme, or just trying to type “brb” before your coffee gets cold, the Xpander lets you keep up with the conversation without breaking flow. It’s tactile, it’s nerdy, and it’s the kind of gadget that makes you wonder why nobody did this sooner.

If you care about the experience of co-op play (the actual back-and-forth, the banter, the shared jokes, and the quick-fire strategies,) the Fintin Xpander is genuinely a clever modular add-on to your setup. It’s proof that thoughtful hardware can turn a simple, overlooked interaction into a competitive advantage and a richer, more connected gaming world. And yes, it’s CES-validated, so it’s not vaporware; it’s a tool for anyone who believes games are better when you’re truly part of the conversation. Suddenly, typing while gaming feels less like a compromise and more like a superpower.

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EMO+ is a board game to help understand, process emotions

Ida Torres — Wed, 02 Jul 2025 14:20:57 +0000

How many times have you wished it was easier to explain how you really feel or to understand what a loved one is going through? Misunderstandings don’t always arise from what we say. Often, they emerge from feelings we struggle to name, let alone share in a conversation. Enter EMO+, a board game designed to transform emotional expression into a playful, hands-on experience for everyone, not just therapists or psychologists.

EMO+ started as a tool for adults on the autism spectrum, helping them interpret and express emotions together without the pressure of finding the “right” words. But what began in a neurodiverse context has quickly found a broader purpose. Today, families (including those with teens who’d rather be anywhere than at a family meeting!), friends who process feelings differently, and even couples wanting to break old communication habits are discovering EMO+ as a gentle bridge to shared understanding.

Designer: Jeni Huang

EMO+ looks beautifully simple on your table: tactile figures, soft pastel cards, and a rainbow game board that feels more like a dreamy artwork than a clinical tool. There’s no “winner” in this game. You just progress together, one step at a time. Players start with prompt cards, with real-life situations like “an ignored message” or “a surprise visit.” Each person uses illustrated emotion cards (like “Happy,” “Surprised,” “Doubtful,” or “Disappointed”) to build a story about how a character might feel in that scenario. There’s no right answer. You just get lots of room for everyone to guess, imagine, and explain their choices. This isn’t just ice-breaking; it creates a shared “emotional palette” that makes tricky feelings easier to explore later.

Next, the game turns personal, but without pressure. Players pick a real or imagined disagreement (it could be “Who forgot to do the dishes?” or “Should we try something new on vacation?”), and each chooses their emotional “zone” on the board. EMO+’s board is inspired by research in social robotics. It maps emotions along three axes: Friendly–Hostile, Lively–Calm, and Casual–Formal. Picture a cube of feelings, with each corner representing a climate like “tense,” “cozy,” or “charged.” Players use movement cards to physically “step” toward each other’s zones, moving pawns through this colorful landscape. No one has to defend themselves or debate logic. It’s about seeing where someone else stands and showing direction without words. A card might say “Take 1 step forward,” “Stay in the same place,” or even “Exchange cards with your opponent.” It’s playful, not confrontational.

The combination of touchable pieces, gentle graphics, and a step-by-step flow helps even the most reserved players feel safer opening up. It’s peaceful and sincere, not cheesy or heavy. Rather than replacing conversation, EMO+ paves the way for more honest chats later and helps you recognize feelings even when words are hard to find. Whether you’re a parent wanting to help kids talk about tough days, friends hoping to reconnect more deeply, or a couple wanting to change up old patterns, EMO+ brings a new language to your table. By turning emotions into colors, shapes, movements, and playful choices, it offers all of us a lighter, kinder way to understand each other. Sometimes the best conversations start with a game.

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E-waste Dell Inspiron gets turned into the ultimate tabletop arcade rig

Sarang Sheth — Wed, 02 Jul 2025 00:30:54 +0000

Ever watch those YouTube restoration videos where someone takes a rusty hatchet and transforms it into a mirror-polished work of art? That’s the energy radiating from valkyrie0528’s bartop arcade cabinet. Instead of virgin plywood and shiny new components, this creator raided the digital graveyard, rescuing an old Dell Inspiron all-in-one PC and transforming it into the brains of a compact MAME emulation station. The result is a refreshingly honest take on sustainable maker culture that doesn’t just talk the environmental talk but walks it with scrap plywood, vinyl laminate, and PVC edge trim.

Most DIY arcade projects feel like exercises in woodworking precision, but this build celebrates imperfection and resourcefulness. The cabinet doesn’t hide its origins – it celebrates them. There’s something deeply satisfying about seeing discarded materials find new purpose, especially when the end result delivers genuine joy!

Designer: valkyrie0528

Rather than overengineering custom solutions, the creator hacked an Xbox 360 controller for reliable input handling and repurposed Logitech desktop speakers for audio. Power management happens through a relay control system that synchronizes cabinet accessories with the PC’s power state, eliminating that awkward multi-switch dance that plagues amateur builds. Linux Mint runs the show with Pegasus Frontend handling emulation duties, creating a responsive system that belies its recycled origins.

The cabinet features swappable interfaces – a traditional arcade layout with joystick and buttons for gaming sessions, and an 86-key mechanical keyboard configuration that transforms the unit into a retro computing terminal. This dual personality acknowledges a fundamental truth about retro computing nostalgia: sometimes you want to button-mash through Mortal Kombat, and other times you want to feel like you’re programming BASIC on an Apple IIe. The keyboard panel even includes a touchpad and dual USB breakouts for peripheral connectivity, creating a complete computing experience.

The terminal panel emerged through serendipity when the creator temporarily placed a keyboard in the control cavity during software configuration. That unexpected interaction triggered a flood of 1980s computing nostalgia, highlighting how physical interaction patterns shape our emotional connection to technology. Few retro gaming projects address this psychological dimension of nostalgia, making this insight particularly valuable for anyone designing nostalgic experiences.

What makes this project particularly exciting is its scalability and adaptability for other discarded tech. Imagine entire arcades built from corporate e-waste, schools transforming outdated computer labs into interactive gaming museums, or community centers hosting build workshops that teach both electronics and environmental responsibility. The modular control system could expand beyond keyboards to include trackballs, spinners, or even adapted accessibility controllers. This approach transforms the concept of “backward compatibility” into something forward-looking, where obsolete technology becomes the foundation for new experiences rather than landfill fodder. Planned obsolescence?? Not today!

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Sony Game Controller Concept dazzles with a ‘goo’ inspired translucent see-through design

Sarang Sheth — Sun, 29 Jun 2025 17:20:51 +0000

Is this the future of transparent tech? The designer at ‘An Improbable Future’ definitely thinks so. With its almost organic-yet-cyberpunk aesthetic, this ‘goo’ controller feels weirdly alien yet equally inviting. There’s no way your hands can resist wanting to grab the controller’s handles and just experiment a bit with gameplay.

Before you get your hopes up, An Improbable Future’s creation is an AI-driven one. The designer works on alternate-reality products (most with Sony’s branding) visualized using AI image and video generation tools. Their catalog includes everything from the standard tape recorder and camera, to even odd products like cars. And Sony’s worked on all of them either way…

Designer: An Improbable Future

This controller’s silhouette may be simple, but the design and materials make it stand out. It feels like a controller within an alien-like skin. The outer ‘goo’ is translucent, revealing the electronics within. The handles are completely see-through, with this cloudy, frosted finish. the action buttons exist beneath the ‘skin’, creating a rather odd yet somewhat appealing sensation while playing. Like the controller is a living thing.

This feels in a way like the future of the tech movement created by companies like Nothing. While Nothing pushed for products to ditch opaque exteriors for transparent ones, this controller takes a step further by ditching the transparent plastic/glass for something that feels less ‘inorganic’. The controller has organic curves, and even an organic-ish material that somewhat resembles something collagen or cellulose-inspired, for lack of a better term. It might put some people off, I’m not one of those people.

The rest of the controller’s fairly normal. Standard joypads on the left and right, under-shell lighting that shines through, and I can’t really tell what that dark/navy blue element between the handles is, but my guess is either some transmitter, battery pack, or plug-and-play speaker. An Improbable Future doesn’t ‘explain’ their work… and AI famously doesn’t justify its design choices either.

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Death Stranding 2’s real-world ring terminal brings game gear to your finger

Gaurav Sood — Sun, 29 Jun 2025 15:20:54 +0000

Few game creators blur the line between fiction and reality like Hideo Kojima. Known for embedding symbolism and visual storytelling into every artifact of his game worlds, Kojima has now taken that philosophy one step further by bringing a piece of Death Stranding 2’s gear into the real world. The Ring Terminal, worn by characters such as Sam Porter Bridges and Fragile in-game, has been faithfully recreated as a wearable collectible in a collaboration between Kojima Productions and Hong Kong-based design studio Anicorn.

This 1:1 scale replica is a functioning piece of hardware, though not in the high-tech sense. While it doesn’t project holograms or manage cargo routes, it is built with impressive mechanical precision, housing 30 micro-engineered parts made from brass and stainless steel alloy. The body has been shaped using electroforming and five-axis CNC machining, and its finish is treated through electroplating to give it a metallic patina that will evolve over time as an intentional nod to the game’s aesthetic of weathered, lived-in tech.

Designer: Kojima Productions and Anicorn

What adds a modern edge to this relic-like design is its embedded NFC chip. While its full functionality remains a mystery, the chip offers a symbolic digital interaction (possibly unlocking exclusive content), acting as a collector’s ID, or storing a virtual credential. There’s also a printed mock display built into the surface, matching the visual language of the in-game model. The ring adjusts to fit US sizes 3 to 15 using a unique internal gear mechanism, allowing it to adapt comfortably to a wide range of finger sizes. Despite its complexity, the design functions like a wearable art piece—more sculpture than smartwatch. Each ring comes housed in custom packaging marked with the Bridges insignia, linking it back to the game’s fictional courier network.

Retailing at $240, the Ring Terminal launched via Anicorn’s online store on June 26, with shipping slated for September 2025. Quantities are limited, which aligns with its identity as both a fan collectible and a design object. While previous Death Stranding merchandise has included timepieces and cufflinks, the ring feels especially personal, worn on the hand, tied to a character’s identity, and filled with layered meaning. What the ring ultimately does remains deliberately vague—something fans have come to expect from Kojima’s long game of narrative breadcrumbs and thematic mystery. But even without a defined digital function, it stands as a conversation piece and a symbol of the game’s influence beyond the screen.

For those who connect deeply with Death Stranding’s world-building, the Ring Terminal bridges the space between narrative immersion and real-world presence. It’s not just a prop or a nod to fandom—it’s a crafted, wearable expression of a universe where every object tells a story, even when it keeps part of that story untold.

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Meta Quest 3S Xbox Edition blends immersive VR with cloud powered gaming

Gaurav Sood — Tue, 24 Jun 2025 19:15:05 +0000

The all‑new Meta Quest 3S Xbox Edition rolls VR into the Xbox ecosystem in a uniquely stylish way. At the core, it’s the affordable Quest 3S you know from last fall, upgraded cosmetically and bundled strategically to spotlight Xbox Cloud Gaming. But when you unpack the box, the real appeal becomes clear: more than a headset, it’s a compact, mobile gateway to Xbox’s expansive cloud library.

Under the hood, the headset retains the same Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 chipset, 8 GB RAM, and 128 GB storage as the standard Quest 3S, Meta’s mid‑range VR workhorse launched in October 2024. Optics and display specs remain unchanged: Fresnel lenses, 1832×1920 pixels per eye, and roughly 96° field of view. Performance and mixed‑reality features mirror the original, ensuring gamers won’t miss out, although it lacks the advanced pancake lenses and wider FOV of the premium Quest 3.

Designer: Meta and Microsoft

The real difference lies in design and packaging. Decked in Xbox’s signature Carbon Black and Velocity Green, the headset, Touch Plus controllers, and included Elite Strap are unified by bold styling. A custom Xbox Wireless Controller ships pre‑paired, and Launcher menus even boot directly into the Xbox app to get players into their cloud‑streamed titles fast. The $399 bundle includes three months of Game Pass Ultimate, three months of Meta Horizon+, and the Elite Strap (combined value around $219) unlocking immediate access to hundreds of Xbox titles and monthly VR game downloads. All without the extra hardware or setup hassle. With Xbox Cloud Gaming beta already live on Quest since December 2023, users can stream big titles like Forza Motorsport, Starfield, or Hi‑Fi Rush directly to the headset.

That said, it’s critical to set expectations right. The headset isn’t delivering immersive VR Xbox titles, it’s running standard console and PC games on a virtual big‑screen view using passthrough tech. Resolutions and bitrate are tuned for cloud, not native VR fidelity, so graphics may appear soft when streamed. But latency remains low, and gameplay feels polished for anyone willing to sacrifice graphics bells and whistles for convenience. Value‑wise, this bundle equates to paying $399 for the headset and accessories, but if you bought each item separately, it could cost over $500. Still, some might prefer to choose storage upgrades or wait for a standalone deal, given the $100 premium over a base Quest 3S.

In essence the Xbox Edition targets a niche: mobile gamers, tech enthusiasts, and Xbox fans who want plug‑and‑play access to their library on a semi‑portable device. It’s not a VR reimagination of Xbox—but it is a slick, streamlined expansion of Microsoft’s gaming footprint. Whether Xbox eventually dives deeper into VR remains to be seen, but for now this is arguably the closest you’ll get to playing Xbox in VR.

The post Meta Quest 3S Xbox Edition blends immersive VR with cloud powered gaming first appeared on Yanko Design.

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Meta Quest 3S Xbox Edition blends immersive VR with cloud powered gaming

Meta Quest 3S Xbox Edition blends immersive VR with cloud powered gaming