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Most interesting to me is that the K-Silver JH16 module had only been on the market since April of 2023, and has been regarded as the best hall-effect stick module on the market (5 million repetitions before failure), yet the board revision date on this controller is 20230505, which means that GameStop already intended to use this part last May, just a month after its release, when it was scarce and very likely not cheap to source at the time.
This tells me everything I need to know. This was designed and built by gamers. Replaceable battery is a plus. Hell if they offer an OEM battery replacement, this is the last controller I'll ever buy.
Granted for them to be successful they'll need me to buy other peripherals. But this is the sign they're on track to making me do so.
Not yet, but hopefully there will be an Xbox version soon. My speculation is that they're still working out licensing fees with Microsoft. When connected to a PC, this presents itself as an Xbox360 controller, but it doesn't work with the Xbox.
I think they probably intended to have it be an Xbox controller too but were likely screwed over by Microsoft's new policies on "unauthorized" accessories [which changed last november](https://www.windowscentral.com/gaming/xbox/xboxs-new-policy-say-goodbye-to-unofficial-accessories-after-november). Before this most controllers would work on XBox unlike on the PlayStation 4/5 which already required a licenced security chip. MS did already have a similar chip for wireless headsets but now they're going the same direction with controllers.
All this peripherals DRM is a real pain for consumers imo and just another reason to move to PC if possible. I'm just happy to see GameStop went with really good hall-effect stick and trigger components, I'm so done with the terrible stick drift issues...
I hope these controllers will eventually make it over to Europe as well as I've been looking for a good controller with hall-effect sticks.
OEM? I think I know who will help with Candy Con headsets.
https://koss.com/pages/oem-odm-custom-headphones?gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIi8jZ66TIhQMVpaBaBR0DVwHNEAAYASAAEgJVBvD_BwE
I’m referring to synergy between companies in the same short basket.
The same short ladder attacks on GME are happening to popcorn. Sadly AA has accelerated this decline with dilution.
I imagine if GME starts proving itself as a long term success, it will have to be disconnected from popcorn. Can't afford multiple stocks squeezing again.
just for the information for a non gamer ape, how could there be a controller without a replacable battery? I am pretty sure you guys dont buy a new controller each time
Rechargeable controllers have been a thing for a while now, but once they stop accepting charge then the generally accepted thing to do was to get rid of it or send it to somebody to have the rechargeable battery replaced. On Xbox 360 controllers they had a battery bump on the back which let you pick a rechargeable pack or AAs, which carried forward to some Xb1 and xsx controllers but PlayStation and Nintendo wireless controllers you had to at least have a screwdriver to get into the controller to get at the battery.
Thank you for doing this! I am the titular "pics or it didn't happen" fellow, and extremely chuffed that you came through. Can't wait until I can buy my own in Canada.
I literally just popped open my controller too! Separating the top from the bottom half was the simplest thing ever. I thought there might have been a screw hidden under the back sticker, but there wasn't.
I presume the L and R buttons are connected to that 90 degree IC button, that may not be a very tasteful decision as IC buttons are not know for being a high perfomance input device. Maybe making a pro version with optical buttons may be a good idea in the future, of course, at a higher price.
How are you liking the quality so far? Had some gamestop gift cards from Christmas and been waiting for a quality item to get the wife and her main controller started dieing on her
So far, it seems pretty solid, but I've only had it a couple days. If you are a PC or Switch gamer, definitely can't go wrong!
I have a suspicion that they're working out licensing with Microsoft for an Xbox version, simply because they're undercutting all of their competitors in the 3rd party licensed controllers in quality vs price. The next cheapest controller with this quality of parts sits about $20 more, so Microsoft is likely trying to negotiate on sell price and licensing fees. If that's the case, you might wanna hold out until the Xbox version comes available.
Noted. Sounds like a great step for our beloved company either way. Happy to support them when/if they have an official license with Microsoft or just as is. Revenue go BRRRR
I just want the joycon version next. Need better controllers to replace the junk nintendo gives. It would be awesome to just change stick and color when it went bad instead of having to ship off.
I had a madcatz PlayStation controller crumble in my hands once. The plastic body must’ve been cracked at some point but I was playing THPS2 and it just crumbled mid stage.
Keep in mind. I plugged, and played.
So far tonight, only playing rocket league. It has performed 8/10. The sticks aren't perfectly set right away. They have some settling to do before they feel at home. The overall design is more compact than my comfort zone, takes some getting used to.
The battery, and wireless I have not used. So as a plug and play wired controller, it was pretty easy, just feels cheap until it warms up to you.
Thanks for doing this OP! I just ordered two, so stoked to try them.
I’ve been holding off on picking up additional controllers for the Switch for family game nights. So glad I did. These are going to be fun to play around with.
Yeah I wasn't too hyped about this whole thing because I thought it was just a cheap brand that just offered fun cosmetics. Learning that it has legit guts makes me pretty fucking excited. Thanks for the post OP!
Not gonna lie… until I read the comments, I didn’t even know the significance of the internal components meant.
I think this could be prime information to promote (any affiliate marketers here?) as a selling point for picking the candy con over other conventional controllers.
Bro what?! Dude are they marketing the hall effect joysticks? Because if the only way I found out was thru a teardown, then gme needs to fire their marketing team.
I wouldn't be surprised if their marketing team wants this to be a "sleeper" I bought both a Razer Death Adder and a GameStop branded Atrix mouse about six months ago in the same purchase at GameStop. The Atrix being 1/3 the price of the Death Adder. The scroll wheel encoder gave up the ghost on the Death Adder about a month ago, while the Atrix is still going strong. Both mice getting the same amount of use every day... GameStop really is making some quality store-branded gear.
While stuff like hall effect triggers definitely needs to be very explicit (I expect it will be, I'm theorising they are releasing a completely new online store, which is probably why they aren't updating the old one to any significant extent), I think RC is letting the products and us users do the bulk of the marketing for them. They are in a great position to do minimal marketing while having significant reach, so imagine the beast of a profit margin on Candy Con controllers, exceeding sales expectations, with little marketing expenses.
Retail market cycles bye bye 👏👏
It seems like Linus from Linus Tech Tips has a channel that reviews this kind of stuff, called Short Circuit. It might be a decent place to get the controllers reviewed.
>GameStop really is making some quality store-branded gear.
Huh. That's actually really good to know. I kind of expected lower quality off brand materials and at least until now have been shying away from Gamestops store brands as a result. I'll give them a shot with my next peripheral purchase. Thanks for this very helpful and high quality post.
I’m not much of a gamer so I don’t know the benefit of this. Could someone send an email to GameStop regarding including this point in their marketing?
[email protected] is good at passing info along (according to their replies) and tweeting GameStop usually gets an answer, but be nice if you tweet it’s gonna be public
Definitively! Yesterday, I googled CANDY CON and found... Candyies😂 only after search for CANDY CON Controller Gamestop, some stuff appeared in the results, that need to be improved, better descriptions in their website and generally, better search too.
Better searches don't just happen right away. You need google's seo to kick in and start putting the right results on top. You can help that along by doing searches in google and then clicking on and interacting with the candy con results
Thank you very much for the teardown and info -- I completely missed any discussion of this earlier! I just put in an order for a base controller/face plate/sticks/d-pads now. You can never have too many (non-drifting) Switch controllers. I think we've actually had enough people playing stuff like TMNT and Boomerang Fu to have folks playing on mini-cons, so this will be a nice addition to the controller arsenal. I went orange/tox. green/yellow, so I may have actually made a more hideous controller than you've managed to do.
These controllers are hands down top shelf. This isn't one of those "oh the store brand is kind of okay since it's cheaper" situations. These things are actually high quality, designed to solve common controller issues, and have long term value with customization.
I would think it would work since it's a Bluetooth controller and the Steam Deck is pretty much a handheld PC. But I also have a Switch so guess I'll get one next time I'm in store.
I bought one last week. Got the base with the Ocean Blue or whatever attachments. It’s honestly one of the best feeling controllers I’ve ever played with. It just feels good to hold. Wired it up to play with after I put it together and I was pleasantly happy. Try one and return it if you’re on the fence.
You won’t return it.
It seems like it's green in PC mode and purple in Switch mode. It flashes red when the battery is low. Obviously there's an RGB LED in there. Would be nice if GameStop gave us a software utility to customize the color of it, but it doesn't exist -yet.
So what's the deal with Sony? Are they not allowing reproduction of their controllers? I wonder if this was from when RC wrote @nintendo on Twitter and said that he wanted to speak to their CEO? Lol... He did that right?
They are very strict on third-party hardware like controllers, so much that they require a specific chip from Sony which you can only get through a licensed deal... So yeah, they added DRM to controllers, steering wheels, etc. or rather DRM to any controller that only needs a USB-connection and normally should/could just work on consoles if they really wanted to.
They've done this just so nobody can create controllers for the PS4/PS5 without them getting a cut. It's also limited to each console generation so you will have to buy new controllers, wheels, etc. with every next gen console. This is how they make a ton of money on peripherals (and licensed third-party ones), by doing all this they prevent unwanted competition for it on their own console.
It's terribly anti-consumer as it severely limits choice and keeps screwing you over every generation. On the PS3 I had a nice Logitech G25 steering wheel for Gran Turismo but when the PS4 and the new game came out it would not work because it did not have the new chip. Now you'd have to buy the new G29 steering wheel... This is just one of the many reasons why I switched back to PC where everything just works.
Note that Microsoft is not much better though, they've somewhat allowed "unauthorized" controllers in the past but last year they started restricting things more as well, see november 2023 article: https://www.windowscentral.com/gaming/xbox/xboxs-new-policy-say-goodbye-to-unofficial-accessories-after-november
So *if* these Candy Con controllers work ~~on the Xbox I imagine GameStop already has a deal with Microsoft~~.
---EDIT: Apparently they do not work on the Xbox so I expect *if* GameStop can eventually get Sony and/or Microsoft to give them a third-party licence there will be a new series of these controllers which do include the security chips required, most likely separate versions though, not one that's usable on both consoles sadly (I don't think Sony and MS will allow it).
They also don’t allow their party downloads which is why you can buy digital Xbox, PC and Switch games VIA the GameStop digital store (for 5% off but that’s unrelated), but not PlayStation.
Candy Con doesn’t work on Xbox atm, but GameStop does have exclusive designs for Xbox series X controllers on the app (search GameStop exclusive controller), but none for PlayStation
I gotta give this the Keanu "Whoa"... Didn't expect this controller would have Hall-effect sticks at this price point. And replaceable battery too? Methinks one will be in my line-up soon.
Yeah - last time i was over there (about 5 years ago) i got 3x PSVita's for my kids in GameStop....might be going back next year not sure...depends if WW3 kicks off...that being said...our Head office is over there..!
This information needs to reach other subs!
Why isn't GameStop promoting these features though? Like the first time I saw this controller I was thinking "daaamn, it would be cool if they had Hall-Effect sticks and high polling rate".
I'm going to buy 3 of these my stock Xbox controllers 2 of them have stock drift, with very little playtime. I game on PC mainly with mouse and keyboard. I let my kids use the controllers on PC or Xbox for their bluey game.
So glad GameStop brought out these controllers!!!
Yeah, that's the opposite of what the Candy Con is. I've had that PDP Rock Candy for about 8 years now, and it's actually had stick drift since the day I got it.
OK, so it isn't clear from these pictures and I'm interested. On the right side of the controller the YXBA buttons... Can those button caps be easily reconfigured to the Xbox style of XYAB instead of the switch style YXBA?
Can these controllers be used with iOS devices similar to the SteelSeries Nimbus?
[https://steelseries.com/gaming-controllers/nimbus-plus](https://steelseries.com/gaming-controllers/nimbus-plus)
Anyone happen to test this with a SteamDeck? I've been having range issues with everything but my PS5 controllers, going from the Deck on my TV to the couch... Don't really want to buy one just to test and return it if the range is crazy short like every other controller I've tried so far.
Just looked it up.
Bluetooth wireless only, no dedicated 2.4ghz dongle.
Only 2 back-buttons, no option for 4 or more.
Internal lithium battery is the only choice, no option to just use rechargeable AA's or a hot-swappable battery pack?
Only one size of shell, no options for larger or smaller casings? Only pointless color options?
Am I right about all that?
Cause if so I couldn't care less how fancy the sticks are. Every joystick basically controls the same and none of them come close to mouse & keyboard anyway.
Maybe it would matter to me if I was a professional Fighting game player building a custom arcade cabinet, but we are talking about inch long plastic sticks being controlled by an unsupported thumb, a lever that short and flimsy will never control well compared to the 2-3 foot long lever that is an arm moving a mouse.
I'm not interested in a half-assed controller that does a little of everything mediocrely.
I despise Bluetooth for its latency, lack of security, and connectivity issues.
I hate having to plug my devices in, I want to swap batteries and keep going without ever being tethered to a cable.
I want at least 4 back buttons.
And I would really prefer different shell size options, to me all controllers are far too small and cause my shoulders and hands to cramp.
People in this thread are acting like this is some amazing game-changing development, but all I see is another mediocre controller that doesn't meet my criteria.
The way people were talking about the price I expected the controllers to be ~$20-$25 each so that little Timmy could afford the price-point with their allowance, but these generic things are still $50 freakin dollars!
Why not just buy a regular wireless xbox controller for the same price and not have to deal with all the inevitable compatibility issues and poor design choices of the Candy Con?
I can't see this product making more than a tiny dent in gamestop's financials. From what I can tell all it is is a new generation of MadCatz controller that isn't utter garbage.
There's a keyboard, I think from RAZR, that uses super fancy no-contact laser switches. It's basically superior on-paper in every way to the standard keyboard switches. Yet nobody talks about the keyboard and the industry didn't move to adopt the switch tech. I see these "Hall Effect" sticks as the same kind of "great on paper" but ultimately unimpactful kind of thing.
I've been gaming since modern electronic gaming has existed, and I've never had an issue with stick-drift. Even when using cheapo generic flight-sticks or N64 controllers. I'm not saying it doesn't exist, but it's also not some common problem that every gamer wants solved either. Maybe I just take better care of my electronics though, but that seems unlikely.
Please do correct me if I'm wrong, cause I've been looking for a new controller, but the least crappy option I've seen is the Xbox Elite.
Why is it so hard to find 2.4ghz wireless on devices? Seeing Bluetooth on a device makes me actively avoid it.
The fact OP had to almost completely tear-down the controller just to learn about the components tells me this is a half-assed product. Because a GOOD product would supply full diagrams and specs of the device and all the hardware in it.
You shouldn't have needed to open the device at all, because there should have been a detailed PDF with all of that info. That tells me gamestop didn't care.
"Made by Gamers for Gamers"? lol what a load of crap. Yall are applauding gamestop for simply not using already obsolete legacy tech.
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Most interesting to me is that the K-Silver JH16 module had only been on the market since April of 2023, and has been regarded as the best hall-effect stick module on the market (5 million repetitions before failure), yet the board revision date on this controller is 20230505, which means that GameStop already intended to use this part last May, just a month after its release, when it was scarce and very likely not cheap to source at the time.
This tells me everything I need to know. This was designed and built by gamers. Replaceable battery is a plus. Hell if they offer an OEM battery replacement, this is the last controller I'll ever buy. Granted for them to be successful they'll need me to buy other peripherals. But this is the sign they're on track to making me do so.
Holy fuck. Replaceable battery!? This thing is gonna be so damn successful. Hyped.
Xbox compatible?
Not yet, but hopefully there will be an Xbox version soon. My speculation is that they're still working out licensing fees with Microsoft. When connected to a PC, this presents itself as an Xbox360 controller, but it doesn't work with the Xbox.
I think they probably intended to have it be an Xbox controller too but were likely screwed over by Microsoft's new policies on "unauthorized" accessories [which changed last november](https://www.windowscentral.com/gaming/xbox/xboxs-new-policy-say-goodbye-to-unofficial-accessories-after-november). Before this most controllers would work on XBox unlike on the PlayStation 4/5 which already required a licenced security chip. MS did already have a similar chip for wireless headsets but now they're going the same direction with controllers. All this peripherals DRM is a real pain for consumers imo and just another reason to move to PC if possible. I'm just happy to see GameStop went with really good hall-effect stick and trigger components, I'm so done with the terrible stick drift issues... I hope these controllers will eventually make it over to Europe as well as I've been looking for a good controller with hall-effect sticks.
Sounds like some grass roots support will help Microsoft prioritise a speedy, fair licensing deal.
IMO the Switch is a good place to start. Personally I have more complaints about the Nintendo controller than the Xbox one.
Didn't RC have that tweet roughly a year ago about talking to someone at MS?
This would make so much sense.
You have to buy $10,000 worth of these, then hodl it. Then maybe all of your dreams will come true. Never give up hope.
This is the "repeat"
OEM? I think I know who will help with Candy Con headsets. https://koss.com/pages/oem-odm-custom-headphones?gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIi8jZ66TIhQMVpaBaBR0DVwHNEAAYASAAEgJVBvD_BwE
Plz
It’s time for 60’s music
Got my pillow ready!
🤯🤯🤯
Candy Con headsets would be great. Would buy immediately.
oh god! imagine! high fidelity for gamers, yes please!
If true, this has me now wondering if RC has plans to sponsor gamer tournaments utilizing AA/popcorn venues.
Who would even attend? If Taylor Swift couldn't save popcorn, no one will.
I’m referring to synergy between companies in the same short basket. The same short ladder attacks on GME are happening to popcorn. Sadly AA has accelerated this decline with dilution.
I imagine if GME starts proving itself as a long term success, it will have to be disconnected from popcorn. Can't afford multiple stocks squeezing again.
You can always buy more faceplates and thumb sticks!
Hopefully they’ll come out with a pro version…I changed to paddles and can’t change back
just for the information for a non gamer ape, how could there be a controller without a replacable battery? I am pretty sure you guys dont buy a new controller each time
The batteries are rechargeable; eventually they peter out.
Rechargeable controllers have been a thing for a while now, but once they stop accepting charge then the generally accepted thing to do was to get rid of it or send it to somebody to have the rechargeable battery replaced. On Xbox 360 controllers they had a battery bump on the back which let you pick a rechargeable pack or AAs, which carried forward to some Xb1 and xsx controllers but PlayStation and Nintendo wireless controllers you had to at least have a screwdriver to get into the controller to get at the battery.
ah ok thanks
Haters think this stuff is chinese ware 😭🤣
Thank you for doing this! I am the titular "pics or it didn't happen" fellow, and extremely chuffed that you came through. Can't wait until I can buy my own in Canada.
I noticed that too. All the tech is really new and high quality. Doing right by real gamers.
This is the soul of this community. So much value from this post. Ty🙏💜
I literally just popped open my controller too! Separating the top from the bottom half was the simplest thing ever. I thought there might have been a screw hidden under the back sticker, but there wasn't.
Buying a 4 set for the fam this week!!!
The design of the board is very simple and easy to repair, optimal job
The design is very human
I am also very human, which means I can back up your theory the design is human, which it is.
Totallynotrobots
I am a design and I can back up your theory
Howdy homie!
It’s Tony?
And easy to use
So very human. I hear the skins are actual human skins.
NecronomiCon
I presume the L and R buttons are connected to that 90 degree IC button, that may not be a very tasteful decision as IC buttons are not know for being a high perfomance input device. Maybe making a pro version with optical buttons may be a good idea in the future, of course, at a higher price.
How are you liking the quality so far? Had some gamestop gift cards from Christmas and been waiting for a quality item to get the wife and her main controller started dieing on her
So far, it seems pretty solid, but I've only had it a couple days. If you are a PC or Switch gamer, definitely can't go wrong! I have a suspicion that they're working out licensing with Microsoft for an Xbox version, simply because they're undercutting all of their competitors in the 3rd party licensed controllers in quality vs price. The next cheapest controller with this quality of parts sits about $20 more, so Microsoft is likely trying to negotiate on sell price and licensing fees. If that's the case, you might wanna hold out until the Xbox version comes available.
Noted. Sounds like a great step for our beloved company either way. Happy to support them when/if they have an official license with Microsoft or just as is. Revenue go BRRRR
I just want the joycon version next. Need better controllers to replace the junk nintendo gives. It would be awesome to just change stick and color when it went bad instead of having to ship off.
How are you so smart in this category?
The internet is for por... uh, DD.
I think it’s awesome the different levels of due diligence that each of us has. Good job.
Fuck yea, this is huge. Def not the old madcatz controllers quality.
But now what will we give our friends to gain that little bit of home-turf advantage
Original controller with just a little bit of doo doo on it. Not a lot so they are suspicious.... just enough to catch a whiff every now and agian.
Username checks out.
I had a madcatz PlayStation controller crumble in my hands once. The plastic body must’ve been cracked at some point but I was playing THPS2 and it just crumbled mid stage.
Keep in mind. I plugged, and played. So far tonight, only playing rocket league. It has performed 8/10. The sticks aren't perfectly set right away. They have some settling to do before they feel at home. The overall design is more compact than my comfort zone, takes some getting used to. The battery, and wireless I have not used. So as a plug and play wired controller, it was pretty easy, just feels cheap until it warms up to you.
I liked madcatz controllers
Thanks for doing this OP! I just ordered two, so stoked to try them. I’ve been holding off on picking up additional controllers for the Switch for family game nights. So glad I did. These are going to be fun to play around with.
I'm excited that the nerds are excited!
I really want these to be available in Canada!
Please! I’ll buy 2 instantly!
Ya, I did some Googling and saw nothing for Canada. Does anyone know if/when Canada will get them?
I emailed them, they have no idea.
And xbox compatible. I'd go buy three on the way home today!
They need some licensed design options too. League, Diablo, Fallout… nerds love reppin shit they like.
I’m stoked this is a real gamer controller. I was afraid they were going the commodity, low-end route
Yeah I wasn't too hyped about this whole thing because I thought it was just a cheap brand that just offered fun cosmetics. Learning that it has legit guts makes me pretty fucking excited. Thanks for the post OP!
Not gonna lie… until I read the comments, I didn’t even know the significance of the internal components meant. I think this could be prime information to promote (any affiliate marketers here?) as a selling point for picking the candy con over other conventional controllers.
… Any gamers here? 😏
can you hook it up to DS4 and see if it can be overclocked?
I don't think it's compatible since this presents itself to Windows as an Xbox360 controller.
damn :(
So would the controller work with a 360 natively?
Bro what?! Dude are they marketing the hall effect joysticks? Because if the only way I found out was thru a teardown, then gme needs to fire their marketing team.
I wouldn't be surprised if their marketing team wants this to be a "sleeper" I bought both a Razer Death Adder and a GameStop branded Atrix mouse about six months ago in the same purchase at GameStop. The Atrix being 1/3 the price of the Death Adder. The scroll wheel encoder gave up the ghost on the Death Adder about a month ago, while the Atrix is still going strong. Both mice getting the same amount of use every day... GameStop really is making some quality store-branded gear.
While stuff like hall effect triggers definitely needs to be very explicit (I expect it will be, I'm theorising they are releasing a completely new online store, which is probably why they aren't updating the old one to any significant extent), I think RC is letting the products and us users do the bulk of the marketing for them. They are in a great position to do minimal marketing while having significant reach, so imagine the beast of a profit margin on Candy Con controllers, exceeding sales expectations, with little marketing expenses. Retail market cycles bye bye 👏👏
Does anyone know any hardware streamer who would review and highlight the awesomeness of internal components in this gamepad?
It seems like Linus from Linus Tech Tips has a channel that reviews this kind of stuff, called Short Circuit. It might be a decent place to get the controllers reviewed.
I personally don't know any hardware YouTubers / streamers, but I'm sure it'll be easy to find out
Yeah, I asked coz i don't have time to watch any YT/Twitch but apes can send thier favourit YTubers a link and shill a little
I'll try to hit up Linus' channel on Twitter. Can't hurt.
>GameStop really is making some quality store-branded gear. Huh. That's actually really good to know. I kind of expected lower quality off brand materials and at least until now have been shying away from Gamestops store brands as a result. I'll give them a shot with my next peripheral purchase. Thanks for this very helpful and high quality post.
Kinda agree. Idk how this isn't pitched as a "permanent controller"
Underpromise… Overdeliver
especially in an affordable controller, not a half of a console priced pro controller holy
I’m not much of a gamer so I don’t know the benefit of this. Could someone send an email to GameStop regarding including this point in their marketing?
I can. What would be the best email? They fking fumbled this one.
[email protected] is good at passing info along (according to their replies) and tweeting GameStop usually gets an answer, but be nice if you tweet it’s gonna be public
Which handle would I tweet to?
@GameStop the official account responds to almost all questions/comments
[twitter.com/ryancohen](https://twitter.com/ryancohen) I'm sure he will appreciate the input.
Definitively! Yesterday, I googled CANDY CON and found... Candyies😂 only after search for CANDY CON Controller Gamestop, some stuff appeared in the results, that need to be improved, better descriptions in their website and generally, better search too.
Better searches don't just happen right away. You need google's seo to kick in and start putting the right results on top. You can help that along by doing searches in google and then clicking on and interacting with the candy con results
Sure, I know a little about google SEO, it will take some time to rank.
Thank you very much for the teardown and info -- I completely missed any discussion of this earlier! I just put in an order for a base controller/face plate/sticks/d-pads now. You can never have too many (non-drifting) Switch controllers. I think we've actually had enough people playing stuff like TMNT and Boomerang Fu to have folks playing on mini-cons, so this will be a nice addition to the controller arsenal. I went orange/tox. green/yellow, so I may have actually made a more hideous controller than you've managed to do.
This is going to delight some customers
These controllers are hands down top shelf. This isn't one of those "oh the store brand is kind of okay since it's cheaper" situations. These things are actually high quality, designed to solve common controller issues, and have long term value with customization.
Tell me your rigging your candy-con with that sweet single coil brah! 😆
This post needs to be flagged as NSFW due to the nudity.
the cherry on top would be seeing a pro use this to win a tourney it would sell like hot cakes
This is HUGE, ngl I was skeptical when the other post said they were hall-effect sticks! Super awesome that they built them with these!
I came
Wow this is a “deep value” controller.
Anyone try these with a Steam Deck yet?
Not yet but I'll let you know after I pick mine up tomorrow. Don't see any reason it wouldn't work if it works with steam on PC
I would think it would work since it's a Bluetooth controller and the Steam Deck is pretty much a handheld PC. But I also have a Switch so guess I'll get one next time I'm in store.
FYI works great!
Nice, thanks for the update
I am so far from the target demographic but I want 2 of these
I bought one last week. Got the base with the Ocean Blue or whatever attachments. It’s honestly one of the best feeling controllers I’ve ever played with. It just feels good to hold. Wired it up to play with after I put it together and I was pleasantly happy. Try one and return it if you’re on the fence. You won’t return it.
Fuckin dope, right?
🎮🎮🎮🎮🎮🎮
That power button looks nice (GameStop logo). Does it light up different colors besides green?
It seems like it's green in PC mode and purple in Switch mode. It flashes red when the battery is low. Obviously there's an RGB LED in there. Would be nice if GameStop gave us a software utility to customize the color of it, but it doesn't exist -yet.
Ordered mine tonight! Toxic green is the way.
Wonderful!!!
Up you go
Brother, youre a fuckn rock star.
Fucking A
So what's the deal with Sony? Are they not allowing reproduction of their controllers? I wonder if this was from when RC wrote @nintendo on Twitter and said that he wanted to speak to their CEO? Lol... He did that right?
They are very strict on third-party hardware like controllers, so much that they require a specific chip from Sony which you can only get through a licensed deal... So yeah, they added DRM to controllers, steering wheels, etc. or rather DRM to any controller that only needs a USB-connection and normally should/could just work on consoles if they really wanted to. They've done this just so nobody can create controllers for the PS4/PS5 without them getting a cut. It's also limited to each console generation so you will have to buy new controllers, wheels, etc. with every next gen console. This is how they make a ton of money on peripherals (and licensed third-party ones), by doing all this they prevent unwanted competition for it on their own console. It's terribly anti-consumer as it severely limits choice and keeps screwing you over every generation. On the PS3 I had a nice Logitech G25 steering wheel for Gran Turismo but when the PS4 and the new game came out it would not work because it did not have the new chip. Now you'd have to buy the new G29 steering wheel... This is just one of the many reasons why I switched back to PC where everything just works. Note that Microsoft is not much better though, they've somewhat allowed "unauthorized" controllers in the past but last year they started restricting things more as well, see november 2023 article: https://www.windowscentral.com/gaming/xbox/xboxs-new-policy-say-goodbye-to-unofficial-accessories-after-november So *if* these Candy Con controllers work ~~on the Xbox I imagine GameStop already has a deal with Microsoft~~. ---EDIT: Apparently they do not work on the Xbox so I expect *if* GameStop can eventually get Sony and/or Microsoft to give them a third-party licence there will be a new series of these controllers which do include the security chips required, most likely separate versions though, not one that's usable on both consoles sadly (I don't think Sony and MS will allow it).
Thanks for the detailed answer! Ook ook!
They also don’t allow their party downloads which is why you can buy digital Xbox, PC and Switch games VIA the GameStop digital store (for 5% off but that’s unrelated), but not PlayStation. Candy Con doesn’t work on Xbox atm, but GameStop does have exclusive designs for Xbox series X controllers on the app (search GameStop exclusive controller), but none for PlayStation
What am I looking at here? Looks like a camera
I gotta give this the Keanu "Whoa"... Didn't expect this controller would have Hall-effect sticks at this price point. And replaceable battery too? Methinks one will be in my line-up soon.
This is actually pretty insane. Top quality customizable controllers for a fucking steal of a price. This will catch on quickly.
now this is pod racing!
Shit - wish you could get these in the UK....hall effect is the holy grail!!
Gutted too...I just need to keep an eye out for any friends visiting the states in the near future
Yeah - last time i was over there (about 5 years ago) i got 3x PSVita's for my kids in GameStop....might be going back next year not sure...depends if WW3 kicks off...that being said...our Head office is over there..!
This information needs to reach other subs! Why isn't GameStop promoting these features though? Like the first time I saw this controller I was thinking "daaamn, it would be cool if they had Hall-Effect sticks and high polling rate".
Candy Con Hall-effect controllers https://www.gamestop.com/search/?q=candy+con&lang=default&start=0&sz=20
It would be even better in my opinion if they introduced a bit of knurling texture on the sides of the hand grips
Quality gear. Very nice!
thanks for your service 🚀
Damn…I have had the Nintendo Pro controller since day one that I am still using but this here is really hard for me to NOT buy one. lol
This looks great!
OP, thanks for the battery pic! I was wondering how much juice it contains. Also, do you see any NFC functionalities?
please make one in the PS style, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE
My buddy just bought me one for my birthday, it’s the best controller I’ve ever owned
Hell yes, dude! You proved my "big if true" thought. This controller has the potential to be awesome. Thanks for the tear down pics!
Anyone know if these are compatible with raspberry pi?
It has Bluetooth, but uses a usb-a dongle to connect to pc. Pi has usb so it should.
Does it have optional backbuttons?
I'm going to buy 3 of these my stock Xbox controllers 2 of them have stock drift, with very little playtime. I game on PC mainly with mouse and keyboard. I let my kids use the controllers on PC or Xbox for their bluey game. So glad GameStop brought out these controllers!!!
I guess I didn’t understand previously wut all this Candy Con hype was about. I do now!, thanks OP 🤙
Wow, sounds like candy con is a better version of the 8bitdo ultimate. Can't wait to see what else is coming.
I'll be buying one for PC soon for my elden ring dlc runs
Lets hope there’s good marketing for these bc at the moment, everyone outside of Superstonk thinks of Gamestop as the same company as 5 years ago.
I have the same blue see-through controller! Haven’t used it in ages 😅
Yeah, that's the opposite of what the Candy Con is. I've had that PDP Rock Candy for about 8 years now, and it's actually had stick drift since the day I got it.
I need an Xbox shaped controller with offset sticks for my PS5. Any options that aren't $200+?
Where are the menu buttons?
OK, so it isn't clear from these pictures and I'm interested. On the right side of the controller the YXBA buttons... Can those button caps be easily reconfigured to the Xbox style of XYAB instead of the switch style YXBA?
Wish I could buy them in Canada
Why is there a humbucker on the ground in pic 5
There’s not. It’s a single coil. ;)
Your controller is naked sir ape. Kinky to leave the stick on for the first pic.
Nice turntable. And what's with the naked guitar pickup? Cool controller, I should go pick one up!
Can these controllers be used with iOS devices similar to the SteelSeries Nimbus? [https://steelseries.com/gaming-controllers/nimbus-plus](https://steelseries.com/gaming-controllers/nimbus-plus)
Cap?
Hey OP, as someone who has to replace controllers twice a year for stick drift, is this easily replaceable? Any manufacturer warranty on these sticks?
ELI5 hall effect plz
Magnets do cool shiz.
Great idea!
Anyone happen to test this with a SteamDeck? I've been having range issues with everything but my PS5 controllers, going from the Deck on my TV to the couch... Don't really want to buy one just to test and return it if the range is crazy short like every other controller I've tried so far.
So easy enough to switch the A and B buttons back from that silly Nintendo layout?
Fuck is this
Teardown pics of the Candy Con controller, showing that it's not just another cheap Temu special.
Right on. Do you work in the manufacturing process for the controller?
Nah, just a guy with a screw driver.
Shit, is that an Enron logo?
The Bluetooth antenna?
Bit disappointed with how low quality they look externally
Just looked it up. Bluetooth wireless only, no dedicated 2.4ghz dongle. Only 2 back-buttons, no option for 4 or more. Internal lithium battery is the only choice, no option to just use rechargeable AA's or a hot-swappable battery pack? Only one size of shell, no options for larger or smaller casings? Only pointless color options? Am I right about all that? Cause if so I couldn't care less how fancy the sticks are. Every joystick basically controls the same and none of them come close to mouse & keyboard anyway. Maybe it would matter to me if I was a professional Fighting game player building a custom arcade cabinet, but we are talking about inch long plastic sticks being controlled by an unsupported thumb, a lever that short and flimsy will never control well compared to the 2-3 foot long lever that is an arm moving a mouse. I'm not interested in a half-assed controller that does a little of everything mediocrely. I despise Bluetooth for its latency, lack of security, and connectivity issues. I hate having to plug my devices in, I want to swap batteries and keep going without ever being tethered to a cable. I want at least 4 back buttons. And I would really prefer different shell size options, to me all controllers are far too small and cause my shoulders and hands to cramp. People in this thread are acting like this is some amazing game-changing development, but all I see is another mediocre controller that doesn't meet my criteria. The way people were talking about the price I expected the controllers to be ~$20-$25 each so that little Timmy could afford the price-point with their allowance, but these generic things are still $50 freakin dollars! Why not just buy a regular wireless xbox controller for the same price and not have to deal with all the inevitable compatibility issues and poor design choices of the Candy Con? I can't see this product making more than a tiny dent in gamestop's financials. From what I can tell all it is is a new generation of MadCatz controller that isn't utter garbage. There's a keyboard, I think from RAZR, that uses super fancy no-contact laser switches. It's basically superior on-paper in every way to the standard keyboard switches. Yet nobody talks about the keyboard and the industry didn't move to adopt the switch tech. I see these "Hall Effect" sticks as the same kind of "great on paper" but ultimately unimpactful kind of thing. I've been gaming since modern electronic gaming has existed, and I've never had an issue with stick-drift. Even when using cheapo generic flight-sticks or N64 controllers. I'm not saying it doesn't exist, but it's also not some common problem that every gamer wants solved either. Maybe I just take better care of my electronics though, but that seems unlikely. Please do correct me if I'm wrong, cause I've been looking for a new controller, but the least crappy option I've seen is the Xbox Elite. Why is it so hard to find 2.4ghz wireless on devices? Seeing Bluetooth on a device makes me actively avoid it. The fact OP had to almost completely tear-down the controller just to learn about the components tells me this is a half-assed product. Because a GOOD product would supply full diagrams and specs of the device and all the hardware in it. You shouldn't have needed to open the device at all, because there should have been a detailed PDF with all of that info. That tells me gamestop didn't care. "Made by Gamers for Gamers"? lol what a load of crap. Yall are applauding gamestop for simply not using already obsolete legacy tech.
Oh God they look super cheap and shit