PDP's Riffmaster Guitar controller was a bit of a trendsetter when it launched last year. It was the first nostalgic guitar hero-style controller I've seen released by a major peripheral maker in years, and now we know it has competition arriving. Two weeks ago, we heard that Gibson Les Paul was teaming up with CRKD to make a guitar controller of their own, and it arrives on the shelves this June.
PS5 players won't get the benefit of CRKD's new guitar controller though, because it only comes with official licensing for Xbox consoles and support for PC. Meanwhile, the Riffmaster has compatibility on both sides of the console war, and PS5 players are reaping the benefits. Amazon is listing the PDP Riffmaster controller for just $99 right now, which is the lowest cost it's ever been since its launch in early 2024.
A $30 saving is a nice thing for any of the best PC controllers, but for a niche, specialist one like this, it isn't always common. Now that there's more competition brewing, we may see some more discounts as PDP and CRKD try to entice more virtual musicians. Regardless, it's nice that PDP is catering to PS5 players with this current deal - it is a bit odd that CRKD's new Axe hasn't chased Sony's console, since its PS5 player base is undoubtedly larger than Xbox's.
Should you buy the PDP Riffmaster controller?
Other than the fact that, if you play on PS5, you don't have an alternative, is the PDP Riffmaster Guitar Controller worth spending money on? Well, compared to the best PS5 controllers and the best PS5 steering wheels, the Riffmaster won't set you back much. Most pro gamepads like the Victrix Pro BFG or DualSense Edge cost over $150 / £150, and any racing wheel and pedal setup will be well over $200 / £200. For a specialist controller, the Riffmaster's $129.99 MSRP is actually very reasonable, and getting it for just $99.99 is a bit of a steal when you think about it like that.
That said, it probably isn't going to be worth it unless you play a lot of Fortnite Festival. Games with compatibility for the Riffmaster, or any guitar controller in this day and age, are few and far between. Other than Rockband 4, you're going to struggle to find wider uses for PDP's Guitar. If you play on PC, you've got lots of emulators, Clone Hero, and wider compatibility with other rhythm games. If that's you, you may want to wait until CRKD's Les Paul Guitar hits the shelves.
From hands-on time with the Riffmaster, though, it's a controller worth having. For me, the quality of life design elements are what sells it. There's a foldable neck meaning you can store and take it on the go as needed, the thumbstick at the end of the neck makes it easier to navigate menus, it's wireless, it's got a headphone jack, and the list of great features goes on.
I'd hope that the arrival of Fortnite Festival and an influx of Guitar controllers inspires more game developers to remember how much we all loved the Guitar Hero era. If we see a revival of these sorts of titles, the Riffmaster will allow you to jump in straight away.
If you're an Xbox player, check out the best Xbox Series X controllers, the best Xbox steering wheels, and the best Xbox One controllers.
