My writing career began with gaming. Long before Tech Talks Daily, thousands of podcast interviews and a calendar seemingly designed to test the limits of human endurance, I was writing for a website called This Is My Joystick.
Gaming has remained part of my life ever since. When I’m not writing, recording or editing, I like nothing better than switching off the work notifications, picking up a controller and losing myself in a game for an hour. Sometimes several hours, if nobody notices.
As an aging gamer, I have accepted a few changes over the years. My reactions are slower, my eyes appreciate larger text, and getting comfortable on the sofa matters almost as much as the frame rate. One thing I refuse to accept, however, is how expensive buying a second controller has become.
Whether you need another controller for multiplayer, want a spare for when your main pad develops stick drift, or need something visitors can use without handing over your favorite controller, the cost can feel excessive. Premium controllers can run well into three figures, while even standard first-party wireless models can make a supposedly casual purchase feel like a minor investment. Drakong believes it has an answer.
Premium Controller Features for £29.99
Drakong is a new gaming hardware brand created by Hyperkin, a company with a long history in console accessories. Its first product is The Challenger, an officially licensed wired controller for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One and Windows 10 and 11 PCs.
The price is the first detail likely to get people’s attention. The Challenger costs £29.99 in the UK, $34.99 in the US and €34.99 across Europe.
Budget controllers usually come with an obvious trade-off. They might feel hollow, use cheaper sticks or remove the features manufacturers reserve for their premium ranges. The Challenger takes a different approach by including several features normally associated with far more expensive controllers.
Hall Effect thumbsticks are designed to reduce the risk of stick drift by using magnetic sensors rather than relying on physical contact between components. Anyone who has watched a character begin wandering across the screen without being asked will understand why this matters.
The controller also has two programmable rear buttons, allowing players to assign frequently used commands without moving their thumbs away from the sticks. There are impulse triggers for localized vibration feedback, laser-textured grips on the handles and triggers, a 3.5mm headset connection and a detachable 10-foot USB-C cable.
Drakong also lists a 250Hz polling rate, which means the controller reports its inputs to the console or PC up to 250 times per second. For most players, the practical question will be whether it feels responsive and consistent during a game, rather than the number printed on the box.
Is Wired Gaming Really a Compromise?
The obvious limitation is the lack of wireless connectivity. The Challenger must remain connected by cable, but I’m not convinced this will be a problem for its intended audience.
A 10-foot cable should cover most living-room setups, while PC gamers playing at a desk might prefer the reliability of a wired connection. There are no batteries to replace, no controller to recharge, and no wireless pairing problems five minutes before somebody wants to play.
Wireless controllers have improved, but a wired controller removes another possible source of latency or interference. But the addition of a cable in homes where people regularly walk between the television and sofa could introduce an unexpected obstacle course.
Especially when children, pets, or slightly distracted adults are involved. I speak as someone who has reached an age where tripping over a controller cable could turn a gaming session into several weeks of physiotherapy.
The Specification Sheet Cannot Tell Us Everything.
The Challenger looks impressive for £29.99, but controller quality cannot be judged from specifications alone. How does it feel after two hours? Are the seams noticeable in the palms? Does the D-pad respond accurately? Do the ABXY buttons feel crisp or cheap? Are the rear buttons placed where fingers naturally rest, or will they trigger accidental inputs during a. crucial moment?
Durability will be another test. Hall Effect sticks may reduce one common cause of controller failure, but cables, ports, buttons, and triggers also wear over time. A low purchase price loses some of its appeal if the controller needs replacing after a few months.
Comfort is especially personal. One player’s perfectly sculpted controller can be another player’s recipe for hand cramps. Drakong says the ergonomic shape, anti-slip finish and laser-textured grips are designed for longer gaming sessions. I would want to experience this before reaching any conclusion.
For now, The Challenger should be viewed as a promising new controller rather than a proven bargain.
A Sensible Second Controller
The strongest argument for The Challenger may have little to do with competitive gaming. At £29.99, it could be the practical second controller many Xbox and PC owners have been waiting for.
It could serve as the controller handed to friends during a local multiplayer session, the spare kept in a drawer or the dependable wired pad connected to a family PC. It could also provide an affordable route into programmable rear buttons and Hall Effect sticks for players curious about pro-style features.
There is value in making better controller technology available without attaching a premium price. Stick drift has cost gamers a lot of money over the years, while useful additions such as rear buttons have often been treated as luxuries.
Drakong is attempting to change the equation. Rather than asking players to choose between a basic budget pad and an expensive premium controller, The Challenger sits somewhere between the two.
The £29.99 price makes the promise easy to understand. Whether the build quality, comfort and performance can deliver on it will require proper testing.
If I get my hands on one, I’ll put it through several real gaming sessions and report back on how The Challenger performs when the specification sheet meets the sofa.