Yep, you read that right. Via RazerCon 2024, the company is bringing immersion to your butt and back with the "world's first HD haptic gaming cushion," called the Razer Freyja.
First debuted as Project Esther at CES 2024, the Razer Freyja is powered by six haptic motor actuators — two for the butt area and four for the back — and it's meant to make your gaming experience more realistic and immersive.
I'm not going to lie, when I first saw this haptic seat cushion, I thought, "That's ridiculous." But the more I think about it and read first-hand accounts of people who've had a chance to test it, the more I'm really, intrigued.
The Razer Freyja could actually enhance your gaming experience
Depending on which games you love playing, a haptic cushion could truly take your gaming experience to the next level.
Imagine riding on a horse in Red Dead Redemption II, feeling the rumble of the road below you while cruising around in GTA V, or feeling virtual kickback from your guns and hits from enemies in Helldivers II. None of these games have been mentioned yet as having Sensa Game Integration, needed for "specially tuned haptics from game studio developers."
However, with audio-to-haptics tech, the Freyja cushion can translate whatever you're listening to — a movie, song, or video game — into vibrations you can feel.
If you love to play games in which hearing your surroundings is vital, the Freyja cushion could be a smart investment. The GSC Game World Development Team says, “S.T.A.L.K.E.R. is all about the Zone, and the Zone is all about the immersion. You can literally feel the heartbeat of Chornobyl now with Sensa HD Haptics integrated.”
Those who find default levels of haptic settings to be a bit jarring or distracting will be happy to know they're easily adjustable. There are six levels of haptic intensity to swap between, or you can adjust each actuator's intensity from 0-100%.
Jasmine Mannan of the UK's Mirror publication tested Project Esther at CES 2024 and said that it could have "the potential to revolutionise the way we consume gaming content." I haven't had a chance to test the official Razer Freyja cushion, but I'm inclined to agree, and others on Reddit are similarly intrigued.
Right now, the cushion is only compatible with PC gaming systems (Windows 10 or higher) and Android 12 or higher, but it's worth noting a Razer employee responded to a Redditor's question about PS5 support with "If and when it happens, it will be communicated. The main item is to secure game studio support on PS5, which is a bit longer and trickier compared to PC."
If you're interested in the Razer Freyja, you can check for a RazerStore location near you to test it out in person or buy it for $299 via Razer.
