The sort of thing that will cover your tabletop and bring style to any gaming session

Jul 8, 2014 07:59 GMT  ·  By

As far as hybrid devices go, there are many directions that hardware makers can take, and aesthetics needn't be taken too much into account when it comes to parts that will never actually be out in the open. Peripherals are a completely different beast, however.

Roccat is one of the companies that have been operating in the peripheral market for many years, and it has been experimenting with device combinations for almost as long.

The latest product to leave its labs is a bit more “out there” than most others, though. It will need you to buy a large table or desk if you don't already have one.

After all, while a keyboard without the numpad is considered compact, it still takes up some space, and the issue of room is compounded when the keyboard turns out to be part of a much larger slab of equipment.

That is the nature of the Roccat Sova Wireless Modular Gaming Board. The product combines a (wireless) keyboard, a large palm rest and a sizable, square mousepad into a single whole.

And since no cables are needed to allow the peripheral to communicate with your system, you can bypass the need for a large desk or table entirely, especially if you're the sort of person that enjoys lounging on a couch or bed.

Roccat introduced the Sova during the E3 game conference and trade show that took place in Los Angeles from June 10 to 12. Apparently, the visitor and media response was good enough that Roccat wants to make it even better.

If one were to read between the lines, the assumption could be made that Roccat also feels that pushing the Sova forward too quickly would be a risk.

The idea of a mousepad-keyboard hybrid is new and untested, and unlikely to sell to many people outside the enthusiast sector. That is why it needs to ensure that it can make the best small prospective customer base.

Thus, it is inviting fans to talk to their designers and developers via the Roccat Sova Blog (ROCCAT Sova DevBlog) to discuss feedback, features and further aesthetic improvement.

Creating a special website for a product type is serious business on its own, but this one is made for one single device. Granted, in the future Roccat might unveil more of them, but it is still a considerable resource allocation. It remains to be seen if the concept catches on with the public.

Roccat Sova Wireless Modular Gaming Board
Roccat Sova Wireless Modular Gaming Board

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Roccat Sova Wireless Modular Gaming Board
Roccat Sova Wireless Modular Gaming Board
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