Genki Debuts the Manta: A Fully Customizable Controller Featuring an Integrated Display
After years of collaborating with industry stalwarts like 8BitDo, hardware manufacturer Genki is striking out on its own. Today, the company officially unveiled the Manta, its first internally designed game controller. With a bold, unconventional aesthetic that places a 2.9-inch LCD screen at the heart of the device, the Manta promises to bridge the gap between high-end performance hardware and user-centric customization.
The Manta is launching today via a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign. Early bird backers can secure the device for $189, a significant discount from the projected $279 retail price. While crowdfunding always carries a degree of inherent risk, Genki has established a reliable reputation in the industry, with the Manta marking the company’s ninth successful campaign to date.
Powering Performance with Customization
While the inclusion of a screen on a controller isn’t entirely unprecedented, the Manta distinguishes itself through the depth of its onboard software. Powered by a dedicated Raspberry Pi RP2350 microcontroller, the device allows players to navigate an extensive settings interface directly from the controller. Users can manage game-specific profiles, fine-tune thumbstick dead zones, adjust haptic intensity, and create complex macros—all without needing to leave their seat to check a PC or console menu.
Mechanical Innovation
Genki has packed the Manta with hardware features designed for competitive play. One of the most notable is the "tristage trigger" system. While high-end controllers often offer two travel modes for triggers, Genki introduces a third, middle-ground setting optimized specifically for rapid, repeated presses. Furthermore, the face buttons are entirely analog, allowing players to dictate exactly how deep a button must be pressed before an input is registered.
Under the hood, the controller is built for longevity and precision. It features drift-resistant tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) thumbsticks with adjustable tension, ensuring that stick drift—a common bane of modern gaming—remains a non-issue. The device also includes linear magnetic haptic motors for tactile feedback, six additional remappable shoulder and back buttons, and a 2,600mAh user-replaceable battery.
Versatility in Connectivity
The Manta is designed to work across a variety of ecosystems. It includes a unique button dedicated to "keyboard and mouse mode," allowing users to navigate desktop interfaces without picking up a peripheral. For connectivity, the controller offers triple-mode flexibility: standard Bluetooth for convenience, a low-latency 2.4GHz dongle for competitive gaming, and a direct USB-C wired connection.
By combining the configurability of a professional-grade peripheral with a novel, screen-centric interface, the Genki Manta is positioning itself as a formidable new contender in the premium gaming hardware market. As the campaign kicks off, fans of highly granular control will likely be watching closely to see if Genki can successfully deliver this ambitious vision.
