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With new fighting games such as “Street Fighter 6” on the way, now is a good time to start perusing the market for new arcade sticks. The controllers don’t last forever and they do take a beating over time.

Victrix, the pro gaming label of PDP, has come out of the gate at EVO, aka The Evolution Championship Series, with a new version of its venerable Pro FS Stick. Yes, they are unbelievably expensive at $399, but the peripheral is one of the highest quality of its kind.

What makes these controllers sought after? Part of it is the design with its 6.28-degree angle slope on the stick that Victrix says minimizes fatigue and its easily customizable setup. Users can open up the stick from the bottom panel and switch out buttons and mod it with after-market parts. Those who just want to jump in and play will find that the controller is already solid with its Sanwa Denshi parts. It also features a sturdy aircraft-grade aluminum covering that gives the stick a hefty feel at 7.8 pounds.

The most notable feature of the update is that it is now compatible with PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4 and PC with a built-in mode switch. That means players can use the stick in different consoles and gives them flexibility if they’re at a tournament or at a friend’s house.

The other feature that players should pay attention to is the 12 button layout. It’s a bit niche, but the Victrix Pro FS-12 is a second version that’s all buttons. Instead of moving around a joystick, some players just press buttons to move left, right and jump. They can perform quarter-circles to throw hadoukens by mashing a few buttons just as easily as someone using the more conventional method.

Personally, I know someone who learned to play “Street Fighter II” on a keyboard, and that way of playing would carry over to this stick.

Related Articles Review: ‘Stray’ is way more than just a cat simulator As part of Evo, attendees there could put in early pre-orders for the stick. At the moment, they come in Victrix’s signature purple and a white colorway. If you’re not at Evo, there is a waitlist. The controllers are expected to ship no later than Sept. 30, 2022, according to Victrix’s site.

Meanwhile, the top-3 tournament finisher of their respective games will receive a custom Gold Pro FS stick engraved with the logo for the game, in which they competed. They look gorgeous.

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