PDP Reveals New Rock Band, Fortnite Festival Guitar Controller
PDP's Riffmaster Wireless Guitar Controller is coming to PlayStation and Xbox this spring.
After teasing a reveal last month, PDP has officially pulled back the curtain on the Riffmaster Wireless Guitar Controller. Arriving in spring 2024, the controller will be compatible with games like Fortnite Festival and Rock Band 4. PlayStation and Xbox versions of the Riffmaster will be offered, and no price has been revealed just yet. In addition to standard features like strum and whammy bars, PDP has outlined several other inclusions, such as a 3.5mm audio jack, an analog stick located on the back of the neck, and a pick guard that can be removed and replaced.
A trailer featuring the Riffmaster guitar was shared to PDP's official Twitter account, and can be found in the Tweet embedded below.
Get ready to rock! Introducing the RIFFMASTER Wireless Guitars for Xbox and PlayStation.
— PDP (@PDPgaming) January 31, 2024
Be one of 1st to play this Spring by entering our giveaway via the link in our bio. Winners will be selected 3/1. 🎸🎮⁰⁰#playpdp #RIFFMASTER #rockband4 #PlayStation #xbox pic.twitter.com/Og5su60Ef1
At this time, it's unclear whether Fortnite Festival will have added guitar compatibility by the time the Riffmaster is made available. In an interview with Game Informer last month, Harmonix's Alex Rigopolous noted that the company is "actively working on" compatibility with instrument peripherals, though it does not have any plans to manufacture its own. Rigopolous also noted that the company plans "to support as many legacy peripherals as we possibly can." This means that those who already have existing Rock Band or Guitar Hero instruments might want to wait before purchasing the Riffmaster.
What is Fortnite Festival?
Fortnite Festival is one of three games that were released within Fortnite last month. The game was developed by Harmonix, the studio that originally created both Guitar Hero and Rock Band. Fortnite Festival allows players to use their Fortnite skins in the game, which has already led to some wild band line-ups. While Guitar Hero and Rock Band users were always confined to using generic designs or a handful of licensed bands, Fortnite Festival players are creating super groups that include members like Spider-Man and Peter Griffin.
Guitar Hero and Rock Band were once massive franchises, but the plastic instrument craze has been basically dead over the last few years. Fortnite Festival could help resurrect the craze, but it remains to be seen whether the game will end up drawing major crowds. Instrument compatibility could help attract a lot of the players that were once passionate about these types of rhythm games, and could convince some players to pull out their old peripherals, or buy a new one!
What Bands are Currently in Fortnite Festival?
While Fortnite Festival has only been around a short amount of time, the game already features a number of high-profile acts. Players can perform songs by Lady Gaga, Fall Out Boy, The All-American Rejects, The Cranberries, The Killers, Olivia Rodrigo, The White Stripes, and more. Harmonix plans to continue supporting the game with a steady stream of tracks, and this week will actually see new tracks from Green Day and Doja Cat added.
Do you plan on getting a Riffmaster Wireless Guitar Controller? Have you been playing Fortnite Festival? Share your thoughts with me directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!