Games Booth

Owning the Couch: ROCCAT Adds a Vital Tool to the Gamer’s Arsenal

 The couch and your entertainment center, expertly melded with the desktop gaming experience

ROCCAT once again forges a path into the future of game peripheral and accessory design and development. PC gamers have for too long been relegated to the desktop and laptop play experience, separated from a living room/entertainment center-centric option that keeps their dominant toolset at the forefront of play – the keyboard and mouse. Hundreds of hours of conceptualization, design refinement and testing were logged in the creation of a solution that allows gamers to OWN THE COUCH without giving up their dominant instruments. ROCCAT introduces the Sova, the first fully realized, highly modular wireless keyboard and mousepad combo, designed with extreme durability, for extreme play, in the comfort of your living room.

ROCCAT founder and CEO René Korte’s vision was simple but revolutionary. “Streaming your PC games to a living room television has always meant sacrifice, particularly with wireless devices not manufactured for competitive players. We wanted to create a new instrument, a wireless keyboard and mousepad combo free of heavy latency, made with premium materials with a level of durability players can feel, that allows for hours of interruption free gameplay from the comfort of the couch. With the ROCCAT Sova, we are confident we have struck this balance with amazing accuracy. We are very excited to give PC gamers an option to expand their play space, without giving up the tools they prefer.”

High modularization is also a key component in the design of the Sova. René had this to say about its customizable use. “PC gamers use an increasing number of peripherals to bolster their gaming experience, and give themselves an edge. Skype, second-screen options, apps like ROCCAT’s Power-Grid; when we began conceptualizing the Sova, we knew it had to be more than a wireless keyboard and mousepad for your lap. It had to support smartphone use, the user’s favorite mouse, and more. The tech savvy can even create their own gadgets and peripherals with a 3D printer and integrate them using Sova’s modularity; it’s that flexible. The Sova also had to be adjustable, because we know one size does not fit all. The designers and engineers hit a homerun on all fronts.”

The Sova does indeed integrate smartphones, gaming accessories, and more, whilst retaining a strong battery life, allowing for hours of comfortable gameplay simultaneously. The sliding mousepad extends and retracts based on personal preference, while the padded leg rests and ergonomic palm rest ensure that three hours of gaming are just as comfortable and fun as fifteen.

“The Sova is a tough piece of gaming gear for sure. We started with a high quality, machined piece of brushed aluminum, and built out from there. We definitely wanted it to feel substantial in a player’s hands,” says René, “…while still maintaining these features of comfort and convenience. Our engineers and designers absolutely knew what they were doing, because they wanted this experience just as much as gamers around the world. Additionally, we’re still absorbing feedback from consumers and press to craft the final, optimal Sova iteration.”

The Sova exists as a powerful tool to fully engage the world of living room gaming and streaming. From SteamOS, Android, Windows and Mac, it is an instrument custom-designed to expand the PC gamer’s domain. Says René, “We believe platforms like the Steam Box are fantastic, and we want everyone to be able to access them equally. We felt it was our duty as gamers to ensure players from all backgrounds have an equal opportunity to enjoy these innovations. The Sova helps bring players into the fold that might not otherwise have been fully comfortable in a living room gaming environment, allowing them to play the games they love, the way they are most accustomed. Nobody loses their edge. We give players the option to own the couch, and command from the living room with the instrument of their own choosing. ROCCAT can’t wait for gamers to get their hands on the Sova.”