While the video game industry offers a number of games that encourage fitness, the truth is that the majority of titles available require players to sit for long periods of time. In his pursuit to exercise more in 2020, electrical engineer Allen Pan decided to create a new way to play Death Stranding. In a video posted over the weekend, Pan outlines how he took a broken treadmill and was able to essentially replace the left stick on his PlayStation 4 controller with the exercise equipment; as Pan runs, Sam runs in the game! In order to play, Pan still has to use the controller for other functions, but the result is a much more physically demanding experience!
Since Death Stranding has been referred to by some as a “walking simulator,” it seems like the perfect title for this type of controller. That said, plenty of other, similar adventure games could work just as well! Pan refers to his creation as “the lowest budget VR rig ever,” but it’s actually a pretty neat creation. Since Pan’s video outlines exactly how to go about recreating his controller, other intrepid gamers might be interested in pursuing it for themselves! At the very least, if it helps Pan achieve his fitness goals while also helping him finish Death Stranding, it seems like it was worth the overall effort!
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Those without an engineering background might be more inclined to stick to fitness games like Ring Fit Adventure, but there’s something truly impressive about Pan’s accomplishment, regardless. At the very least, it speaks to the overall ingenuity of the video game community. Pan’s achievement is just the latest in a number of intriguing controllers created or modified by fans. Last month, a father made headlines after creating a controller that allowed his daughter with hereditary spastic paraplegia to play The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. A few days earlier, another gamer created a custom pair of GameCube-inspired Joy-Con controllers for Nintendo Switch.
These types of creations are what set the video game industry apart from so many other mediums. There is so much joy for gaming, and when players find new ways to customize their experiences, it truly makes the experience more meaningful.
Have you ever created your own custom controller? Are you interested in sharing your creation with the rest of the world? Let us know about it in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk all things gaming!
