Mad Catz detailz mice, controllers, 'Throat Communicator' for Modern Warfare 2
by Ben Gilbert 
{ Aug 25th 2009 at 2:30PM } 
our best guess
Knowing us, we're going to need some extra Modern Warfare 2 accessories when the game releases this November -- and no, the $150 collector's edition certainly isn't enough! Mad Catz is thankfully answering the call from those of us yearning for more ways to spend money on non-essential MW2 items (non-essentials being everything other than the game disc, of course), detailing today its previously announced accessories.
The damage ranges from $15 to $100 for 10 different items, such as custom controllers, mice, faceplates, and even something dubbed "skinz." We've been promised images of said items later in the week, so we'll just have to wonder what a "Throat Communicator" could possibly look like until then.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
XBL: xGeneral DEATHx PSN: Deeth82 @ Aug 25th 2009 2:34PM
I'd guess this is what they'd mean by "throat communicator":
http://images.allmoviephoto.com/2003_Tears_of_the_Sun/2003_tears_of_the_sun_004.jpg
It picks up your voice via throat vibrations so that you are able to be heard clearly, even if you're whispering.
Heavytoka @ Aug 25th 2009 2:43PM
Broken Link, but I know what your talking about and that would be awesome
Fifty Three @ Aug 25th 2009 2:55PM
Heck, I'd buy a throat communicator, and recommend them for all the "breathers" I get matched up with. Screw those guys.
Whoppy @ Aug 25th 2009 2:50PM
Nah nah nah nah...
It's one of these:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qNP9Zner70
AoE @ Aug 25th 2009 2:56PM
@Fifty Three,
I dunno, it's pretty amusing hearing fat kids get winded while playing video games :D
Mr.Chrome @ Aug 25th 2009 2:56PM
now i could swear without waking up my neighbors
cool
DeepFriedSushi @ Aug 25th 2009 3:14PM
Wow they are giving SF4 level of detail into their accessories.
so the controller built specifically is going to add new buttons on the inner handle this way you wont have to move your thumb off the right joystiq to hit the face buttons. also its wired so that there is no latency. then theres superfical things like rubber grips and led lamps on the analog sticks.
The throat communicator unique design reduces background noise
The mice stuff is strictly for pc
Ballistic H @ Aug 25th 2009 4:08PM
What? nobody ever seen the movie Speed? There you go: throat mic.
http://www.clearercom.com/
XBL: xGeneral DEATHx PSN: Deeth82 @ Aug 25th 2009 4:14PM
Pop quiz, hotshot...
Contract Killer for Hire (Will work for PS3 Exclusives) PSN: Manifest37 @ Aug 25th 2009 2:35PM
Milking the Cash Cow
Singular Trap @ Aug 25th 2009 2:38PM
I LOVE that photoshop!
Hardcore @ Aug 25th 2009 3:10PM
That's a photoshop? I thought it was one of the real products they're gonna be releasing.
Singular Trap @ Aug 25th 2009 3:13PM
See where it says "our best guess"? That tells me that it's produced by Ben, one of our crazy Joystiqers.
Ballistic H @ Aug 25th 2009 4:10PM
@ Hardcore: I wonder what was really going into your mind when you thought that was actually one of their ideas.
YoRone22 @ Aug 25th 2009 9:46PM
Ballistic and Singular, you guys might wanna check here.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarcasm
Ya learn somethin new everyday.
Singular Trap @ Aug 26th 2009 8:41AM
@Yorone22 that's pretty meta. But I wasn't being sarcastic. I was directing Hardcore to the reason I wrote that it was a Photoshop. You could do well to take your own advice though.
YoRone22 @ Aug 26th 2009 10:36PM
Jesus fucking Christ. Never mind. Im not even going to bother.
Imadogg @ Aug 27th 2009 7:42AM
Loled at YoRone22.
But yea the pic is sweet.
Mr.Chrome @ Aug 25th 2009 2:43PM
i'll get 1
where my balls at?
FNG @ Aug 25th 2009 4:46PM
on your mom's chin? ick dude!
Paul @ Aug 25th 2009 2:46PM
How dare you call the night vision goggles non-essential!!
Chris @ Aug 25th 2009 2:49PM
No! Not mice! (No, I don't have a long, grey nose.)
I honestly believe that allowing CoD to work with a mouse will ruin multiplayer. I play CoD4 on PS3 and not PC out of choice. I have CoD 5 World at War on PC and it's far, far too easy. Normal gameplay is - click, click, click = three dead (A.I.) enemies - in as many seconds as it took you to read that. Bringing this to multiplayer while some have controllers will result in a boring sniper game where most kills are headshots (like in CounterStrike). Heck, you'll be able to get easy headshots with submachine guns since the game's designed such that inaccuracy is in the controller, not the gun.
Not only will people without controllers lose out, but the game will be easier than intended for those with mice.
Mr.Chrome @ Aug 25th 2009 2:51PM
don't worry pc is still the shit
Nerdy Desi @ Aug 25th 2009 3:16PM
Fallout 3 is also too easy on the PC with a mouse, no need for VATS. : )
Viney @ Aug 25th 2009 3:31PM
They could just do like Unreal Tournament III and have seperate lobbies for mouse/keyboard, controller and mouse/keyboard + controller. That way everybody's happy, and nobody has any reason to complain about it.
lazyykid @ Aug 25th 2009 3:33PM
im pretty sure the mice arent for consoles
Mr.Chrome @ Aug 25th 2009 3:37PM
if the ps3 version supports mouse and keyboard
i'll be sooo happy
but i think its only for pc version
alamos @ Aug 25th 2009 4:36PM
Easy? Try it on Veteran.
You must suck at FPS if you consider things like auto aim and retarded AI essential.
Chris @ Aug 25th 2009 6:00PM
I've played FPS since Quake, before mouse and keyboard was even used as it is now. I have finished cod 5 (pc) and cod 4 (ps3) on veteran. Sure, it's not "easy" on PC, per se, but the only reason it's hard is because there're hundreds of them. It's much harder on a console because aiming is not ridiculously easy, and I like that. I think it's a fair enough opinion to have so I voiced it.
If you disagree think about who the other person might be and consider maybe they have a right to an opinion before you argue them down with ignorant insults.
(Hope this isn't a double post)
cor @ Aug 25th 2009 8:47PM
There already is a PS3 Mouse controller...
http://gizmodo.com/245810/splitfish-fragfx-mouse-controller-for-ps3
Mr. Manly ESC Mcbeefington Ferguson The Second @ Aug 25th 2009 2:52PM
Because those SF controllers turn out so well.
DeepFriedSushi @ Aug 25th 2009 3:16PM
not sure if youre being sarcastic or not but generally the controllers were good, and the stick were excellent surprisingly better than hori sticks
as for the gamepads they were generally good with a few people who had problems.
RagingStormX @ Aug 25th 2009 7:42PM
@ DeepFriedSushi - You must be kidding right....MadCatz has never made an arcade stick better than Hori's RAP line.... NEVER!!! All sanwa parts or not...the heart (PCB) of those TE are still products of Madcatz.....rubbish of the highest order my firend. While the design and feel of all the madcatz SF line are quality....thats where the goodness stops. Their craftmanship is as week as they have been known for, and way more than just a "few" people had problems with the gamepads (think worst failure rate than the RRoD). Granted they did step up their game with the following batches....they are far from Hori when it comes to making a top of the line arcade joystick. Hori does have SA (all sanwa) and SE (all semitsu) versions of all their RAP line of sticks. Best joystick you can buy from a brick and mortar stop.
Anthony M. @ Aug 25th 2009 2:59PM
What a useless article. You could at least provide the information they gave, instead of super-summarizing it for another MW2-tagged click generator...
sirpilf @ Aug 25th 2009 3:14PM
agreed, this is hardly any information then the other 12 times they posted about the madcatz MW2 peripherals.
Chris @ Aug 25th 2009 3:01PM
My guess is that it's going to be some variation of a throat-mic that the military uses. Pretty cool device... not sure why you'd need it playing a video game. I always wanted to get them for paintball use. http://www.rap4.com/paintball/os/tactical-gear-communication-gadget-c-33_100.html
Faceman @ Aug 25th 2009 3:02PM
o man I'd love to use a mouse for MW2. I injured my left hand a few years ago and pressing down on the analog stick wears out my thumb very quickly when playing COD.
joe @ Aug 25th 2009 4:29PM
hows that? the surface on the original ps3 controller isnt rough, well ur using a 3rd party controller that has a rough analog stick surface
WarriorX62 @ Aug 25th 2009 3:18PM
It's the Halo 3 model folks... tough to figure out, I know
Rocks @ Aug 25th 2009 3:57PM
the more i hear about this game, the less appealing it is to me...
it's not that there is anything wrong with the game, and i've enjoyed most of the CoD games up to this point, it's just something about this one that doesn't sit well with me... just a weird gut feeling that it's not going to live up to my expectations.
don't get me wrong, i'll probably still pick this up, sans the extras...
It's just that it won't be a day 1 purchase for me as it once was... I'll wait and see.
paperless @ Aug 25th 2009 4:05PM
The throat communicator is a must buy for me. I wanna be able to talk without bothering everyone around me or having people get into my business.
It'll go for $30!
Nciholas @ Aug 25th 2009 5:20PM
i was a bit angry that they didnt put an iota of info in this article so i googled like the genius googler i am and found all this on IGN.com
heres the link-- http://gear.ign.com/articles/101/1017885p1.html
and heres the article, copied and pasted for your info
August 24, 2009 - Earlier this month Mad Catz announced that they had secured an exclusive license for a vast array of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 controllers and accessories, but beyond a few general details, the company offered little in terms of specifics, until now. This afternoon Mad Catz popped the lid off of their entire product lineup, which includes specialized controllers for both Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, as well as a host of PC peripherals and accessories. The products announced today will be hitting stores in November at retailers nationwide, and will include the following:
Modern Warfare 2 Combat Controllers (Xbox 360 and PS3)
A specialized controller for Modern Warfare 2, the Combat Controller will incorporate rubber grips and a soft-touch finish for prolonged frag sessions. Additionally the controller will include two buttons toward the rear of the controller, which allows players to remap action buttons or thumbstick commands on the fly, allowing users to relocate melee or sprint commands to rear buttons for added control. As an aesthetic touch, the Combat Stick will feature thumbstick backlighting and a durable braided USB cable for extra visual panache. Aside from the clear visual variations, the PS3 controller will depart from the Xbox 360 design in that it utilizes a 2.4GHz wireless system with internal rechargeable battery for up to 60 hours of gameplay.
Both variations of the Modern Warfare 2 Combat Controller will retail for $49.99.
Modern Warfare 2 Throat Communicator (Xbox 360)
The MW2 Throat Communicator's design is taken directly from military designs and reduces background noise by providing direct contact communication. Additionally, the Throat Communicator will finish authentic graphics and will be fully compatible with the Xbox 360 controller and the Combat Controller from Mad Catz.
The Throat Communicator will have an MSRP of $29.99.
Modern Warfare 2 Bluetooth Headset (PS3)
The Modern Warfare 2 Wireless Headset with Bluetooth Technology is a headset specialized for use with the PlayStation 3 but can also be paired with a host of Bluetooth enabled devices. The headset will feature similar graphics to the throat communicator and utilizes Bluetooth 2.0 technology.
The Modern Warfare 2 Wireless Headset with Bluetooth Technology will be available for $39.99.
Modern Warfare 2 Combat GamePad, Mice, and Keyboards (PC)
PC gamers will also be getting the love from Mad Catz with the company offering four new MW2-geared products, including a Combat GamePad, Sniper Mouse, Combat Keyboard, and Elite Keyboard. The Combat GamePad will feature Modern Warfare 2 artwork, four action buttons, four trigger buttons, and an eight-way D-pad. The GamePad will be preprogrammed for MW2, however, it will also ship with software that allows users to reprogram the action buttons to suit their personal preference. The GamePad will be fully compatible with Windows 7, Vista, and XP and retail for $24.99.
The Modern Warfare Sniper Mouse is a precision mouse geared toward FPS games and incorporates a weight cartridge that allows users to add or subtract included weights to match their preference. Like the GamePad, the Sniper Mouse includes software for programming the function buttons and will be emblazoned with custom MW2 art. The Sniper Mouse will cost $49.99.
The two keyboards offered by Mad Catz for MW2 include a Combat Keyboard and an Elite Keyboard. The Combat Keyboard is the more affordable of the two at $49.99, and will include anti-ghosting, Windows key lock, media keys for volume and playback control, and a weighted base. The Elite Keyboard, on the other hand, is based on the Cyborg keyboards line and will have all sorts of bells and whistles, including multi-color keyboard backlighting, adjustable brightness controls, Tru-Vu illumination for ambient lighting with colors ranging from red to amber to green. Additionally, the Elite Keyboard will have a touch-sensitive dashboard for media controls, and independent illumination settings for the WASD, cursor, and number pad keys for added visual recognition. Other features include twelve programmable macro keys, durable metal plated key caps, and gold-plated USB and microphone input passthrough. Like the other PC accessories, the Elite Keyboard is fully compatible with Windows 7, Vista, and XP and will include custom programming software. The Elite Keyboard will cost $99.99.
Modern Warfare 2 Skins and Faceplates
For those who want to deck their gaming gear out with Modern Warfare 2 art, Mad Catz is also offering a series of custom console skins, faceplates, and controller faceplates. The company will be producing controller faceplates emblazoned with official art from Infinity Ward in a high gloss finish for both PS3 and Xbox 360 controllers. Also available this November will be custom MW2 Faceplates and Console Skinz for Xbox 360, which will again, feature licensed art for $29.99.
Stay tuned to IGN Gear for more on the Mad Catz Modern Warfare 2 line.
Chris @ Aug 25th 2009 5:56PM
I've played FPS since Quake, before mouse and keyboard was even used as it is now. I have finished cod 5 (pc) and cod 4 (ps3) on veteran. Sure, it's not "easy" on PC, per se, but the only reason it's hard is because there're hundreds of them. It's much harder on a console because aiming is not ridiculously easy, and I like that. I think it's a fair enough opinion to have so I voiced it.
If you disagree think about who the other person might be and consider maybe they have a right to an opinion before you argue them down with ignorant insults.
Gibbeynator @ Aug 25th 2009 6:53PM
What in the world is a Throat Communicator? Is it a device that modifies your voice so everything you say sounds like it's coming out of Christian Bale?
nriveraexpress @ Aug 25th 2009 8:52PM
i got your throat communicator right here!
Kdiggy @ Aug 25th 2009 8:55PM
Hoary for overpriced plastic peripherals!
MARIO @ Aug 25th 2009 9:50PM
Alright! MAdcatz is knows just what to do to take money from me.
usi @ Aug 26th 2009 11:17AM
Here's a video looking at all the accessories.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRNjq30DGec&feature=player_embedded
No gun shown :( yet
*can you add to OP so everyone can see*
Ratmistro @ Aug 26th 2009 12:11PM
found it
http://gear.ign.com/dor/articles/1018487/modern-warfare-2-accessories-first-look/videos/mw2_madcatz_gear_082509.html
Brian @ Oct 8th 2009 4:12PM
Ok. I've had a PS3 slim for a month and I can't get used to the DS3 for shooters. So here's my idea:
- Mad Catz's(?) MW2 PS3 controllers are bluetooth and presumably rumble(sixaxis too?)
- Mad Catz ownes Saitek
- Saitek makes a wired PS2/PS3/PC controller that lets you switch the left stick and d pad on-the-fly
Now Mad Catz needs to makes a bluetooth MW2 controller that lets you switch d pad/stick as well as the Twin Combat buttons for on-the-fly custom remapping. Then package that with the headset and MW2. I'd take that over dippy goggles any day. I think I'm going to try the Dreamgear Shadow controller for fps. If that doesn't work then I'll stick to Wii for FPS.