Interview with Avenger Controller creator David Kotkin

Today’s gaming market is a lot different from the way it was 20 years ago. With our technology becoming more enhanced each day, the demand for improved graphics and more immersive gameplay has followed suit. This begs the question, with the birth of a new generation of high performance gamers, is there a device that can meet the needs of even the most seasoned gamer whilst accommodating to gamers who simply want to be able to play? I believe the answer lies within the “Avenger” by N-Control.

Now those of you who haven’t heard of the Avenger might be saying...”Well that’s awesome, but what’s the ‘Avenger’?”  The Avenger is an “external adapter that houses the existing XBOX 360 controller to enhance gameplay”. The accessory is designed to fit on the outside of any XBOX 360 controller, almost like a “shell” if you will. Once applied, a seasoned gamer can expect an “immersive gaming experience, while improving situational awareness, accuracy, agility, and reaction time”. What makes this adapter extremely special for some members of the AG community with precision issues is that, it will finally allow them to not only enjoy their favourite “FPS” for example, but in many cases, increase their performance to a level they haven’t seen before. This is all made possible because of the way The Avenger was designed. It allows for easy access to all individual buttons and analogue sticks giving the user the ability to make fluid movements and rapid button presses without having to use the same muscles required when typically gaming, allowing access to a total of nine functions simultaneously.

Users in a seated position can rely on the built-in stabilizer stand to help them perform actions with ease without having an extremely firm grip. Each lever is fully customizable even up to how sensitive they are, so even the slightest movement can make the biggest impact. “The latest version of the Avenger includes a new jet-black rubberized finish, reinforced parts & tubing, stronger lever pins, adhesive button extenders, and improved ski's that allow the user to adjust the straps in new way's for more firing control.”

I had the pleasure of being able to demo and sit down with the creator of the Avenger David Kotkin this year at E3. He was extremely eager to get The Avenger into “the hands” of the AG community but more importantly, his passion for getting his product out there stems from a personal story in his own life.

“When I first made the Avenger, I was a teacher and I had a kid in my class by the name of ‘Danny’ who had very small hands. I was able to adapt the controller just for him and it seemed to help him...he went from losing every game to actually winning a game in two weeks. It was really a great experience for me and him”.

When I asked David if he could expand on the conversation he had with Danny and how it began, I was amazed to hear the incredible story of how this all began...

“He came into class one day, and out of the blue, it all came out, all the problems that he was experiencing with his disability and his hands...I told him that he would overcome it and he went onto saying ‘Everyone tells me to be okay with my disability’ and I said ‘maybe I can help you with this controller and make it better’ and his response was ‘what are you going to do? My parents just spent $10,000 to have fake fingers made that never even worked and they hurt...so what are you going to do?’...and I did something, and it worked!”

This led Danny to say to David

“This gives me hope that they’ll have a cure for his hands one day, that technology will help me, because if [David] could do this with The Avenger then anything is possible”

The price of the Avenger is currently $49.99 and available for immediate delivery. David went on to telling me that they will also soon have a model of the Avenger available for the PlayStation 3® official controller.  So have no fear Sony fans, you don’t have to jump ship in order to get your hands on this game changing piece of technology.  Take a look at this video of me using the Avenger:

For more information N-Control Avenger, head over to http://www.avengercontroller.com/ and be sure to check back at AbleGamers.com for a full review of the product.