Of all the gaming peripherals out there, the mouse seems like one of the most difficult to innovate. We’ve seen wires removed, programmable buttons and shiny lights added, and sensitivity increased, but it’s been a while since we’ve seen anything that’s made us do a double-take.
Well, until we spotted peripheral maker Lexip’s new gaming mouse, which has managed to fit two joysticks into what looks like a perfectly ordinary gaming mouse – like a standard gaming controller given the M. C. Escher treatment.
The first joystick is pretty clearly positioned on the left hand side of the mouse to sit comfortably by your thumb (or on the right side if you purchase the left-handed version). It can be assigned plenty of functions, from scrolling to controlling the aim of an in-game gun.
A new way to play
But it's the motion of a second joystick that’ll make you do a double-take, because it’s on the underside of the mouse. Using the palm of your hand, it’s possible to tilt the mouse forward, backwards and to the sides. Like a joystick that’s been at the receiving end of a mallet attack, really.
According to the product's Kickstarter page, the base joystick provides 20° of movement, while the thumbstick is closer to 30°.
Outside of the joysticks, the Lexip has all the other features you’d expect to see on a gaming mouse, including programmable buttons, glowing lights, and a sensitive 8200dpi sensor.
Lexip is currently seeking funding for the mouse on Kickstarter, but it’s already beat its target by a good margin with 36 days still to go. The mouse is being sold across the world, with an expected shipping date of June 2018.
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