Hyperkin’s PixelByte Is a Blind Box Gamepad That Actually Works
Blind boxes usually hide a figurine you put on a shelf. Drakong by Hyperkin is betting you will pay for a mystery box that hides a working Bluetooth controller instead, and it says nobody has tried that before.
The Los Angeles gaming hardware company has announced the PixelByte Controller, billed as the world’s first line of blind box gamepads. Each one is a fully functional controller small enough to clip to a belt loop, bag or purse using its built-in keychain.
The first series arrives with a fully licensed Attack on Titan range. Seven designs make up the set, and pre-orders open today.
Pricing is set at an MSRP of $24.99 / €24.99 / £19.99. The range is available from hyperkinstore.com and Amazon.
Three Modes in One Gamepad
Despite the size, Drakong says the PixelByte is a genuine multi-format gamepad. Integrated Bluetooth handles the connection, with support for iOS, Android, PC, Nintendo Switch 1 and 2, Linux-based devices and more.
Three modes sit behind a single switch. Players can flip the orientation of the bumper and trigger buttons, do the same with the ABXY action buttons, and set the D-pad to behave like a left thumb stick.
There is a Turbo Mode built in for the finger-intensive stretches. It is the sort of feature you would expect on a full-size pad rather than something this small.
Productivity Mode is where the pitch gets unusual. The PixelByte turns into a hybrid mouse and keyboard controller, capable of scrolling presentation slides, triggering a phone camera remotely and firing hot keys on a PC.
The finger-sized loop and tactile silicone membrane buttons give it one more job. Drakong reckons it doubles as a fidget toy for company meetings.
Blind Box Collecting Meets Hardware
The blind box format is the real hook. Buyers will not know which of the seven Attack on Titan designs they are getting, which is standard practice for collectibles but new territory for working gaming hardware.
More series are coming, according to Drakong. The company says future designs will draw on anime, snacks, games and TV shows, pulling in some of the world’s best-loved licences and themes.
Slade Dude Suzuki, Lead Product Developer for Drakong, called the range a new concept in collectible hardware. ‘Designed for collectors, gamers and everyone who values instant gaming on the go, the PixelByte packs a serious punch into an impressively small size,’ he said.
Suzuki added that the company is working with some of the most beloved franchises in the world. He said every design in the range is built around exciting looks, quality hardware and genuine fun.
For fans of the anime, the collect-them-all instinct is doing a lot of the work here. For everyone else, a $24.99 controller that fits on a keychain and survives a Monday meeting is an easy sell.
