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Mad Catz® Announces amBX™ Hardware Development Kit
Hardware Development Kit Assists Software Developers in Creating Interactive and Immersive Experiences
Mad Catz® Interactive, Inc. (AMEX/TSX: MCZ), a leading worldwide third-party interactive entertainment accessory provider, today announced an amBX Hardware Development Kit (HDK) which will be available to the software development and publishing community. Designed to assist developers with the integration of amBX compatibility into PC games, the Hardware Development Kit consists of the amBX enabled Cyborg Gaming Lights and an amBX enabled Cyborg keyboard.
amBX (short for "ambient experiences") is a technology that delivers full “sensory surround” entertainment, enabling gamers to enjoy a more immersive game play experience through incorporating dynamic real world effects such as light and color. The HDK will be made freely available to qualified publishers and developers.
Consisting of two Light Pods which sit on either side of the player’s monitor and plug into any USB port, the Cyborg Gaming Lights envelop the user in up to 16 million colors, producing immersive lighting for a fully atmospheric gaming environment. Benefiting from dynamic lighting effects which react authentically to on-screen game play, the ingenious multi-hinge design allows for flexible positioning of the Gaming Lights in order to fully maximize the immersive spread of color. In addition, the Gaming Lights have been designed to facilitate multiple lights to be plugged in simultaneously, allowing the user to appreciate the full sensory surround capabilities of the amBX technology.
The amBX enabled Cyborg keyboard is an interactive backlit keyboard, capable of producing real time lighting effects through the integration of amBX technology. Featuring laser-etched keys, the Cyborg keyboard features full RGB back lighting capable of displaying up to 16 million colors which react dynamically to on screen game play. The keyboard will allow publishers and developers the chance to test their amBX enabled games on actually hardware.
Darren Richardson, President and Chief Executive Officer of Mad Catz commented, “We believe that amBX is an exciting breakthrough in creating interactive and immersive entertainment and are proud to be working alongside amBX. By providing the HDK, we are enabling PC game developers and publishers to optimize their amBX enabled games. At Mad Catz, we will continue to support new technologies in our products as part of our strategy of developing products that evoke a passionate consumer response.”
Neil MacDonald, CEO of amBX UK Ltd commented, “We're extremely pleased that Mad Catz have made an amBX HDK available for developer studios. Having the HDK ahead of the commercial release of the amBX-enabled Cyborg products, and with our free amBX SDK, game studios will have all the tools they need to quickly and easily implement amBX immersive effects into games. The fantastic new amBX Cyborg range will bring new dimensions of immersive gaming to PC gamers and represent a leap ahead for the gaming experience.”
The Mad Catz Hardware Development Kit is expected to be available Spring 2010. Interested parties should contact Richard Neville, Category Marketing Manager for Mad Catz at: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for further information.