I tried Razer's Project Esther at CES 2024 and it was next level
Razer’s new haptic seat cushion, codenamed Project Esther, is on the show floor at CES 2024. And, after trying it out, I think might have the potential to revolutionise the way we consume gaming content.
Razer, the gaming hardware company behind products like the Kraken Kitty V2 Pro and Blackshark V2 Pro, is once again showing off its newest hardware at CES 2024. This year, it is showcasing Project Esther, in what it claims is the world's first HD haptics seat cushion, which can be used with any chair and can provide haptic feedback through your body for any game, movie or even music. With haptic vests slowly starting to emerge on the market, a haptic seat cushion is yet another option for those looking for that next level of immersion.
Here's what I thought of Razer's Project Esther after trying it at CES 2024.
Good vibrations
The cushion has 16 different sections, all equipped with haptic actuators. This allows the device to send realistic haptic feedback through your body according to direction, distance and location.
You also get adjustable straps on the back of the cushion, which allows you to attach it to any gaming or office chair. Realistically, it could even work strapped to a dining chair or propped up on any seat with a backrest. Connection to your device, whether that be a PC, laptop or TV, is completely wireless thanks to a 2.4 GHz connection that's provided by the included adaptor.
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Razer's Project Esther is the world's first HD haptics gaming cushion, allowing you to feel feedback from games through your body (Razer)When first seeing Project Esther at CES 2024, I was somewhat sceptical. Surely, there’s no way something this thin could send immersive haptics through my body? I also had concerns that the cushions might be uncomfortable to sit on, due to the 16 different, visible, sections on the cushion.
Within 5 minutes of sitting down, however, those concerns were out of the window. From the haptic sensations alone, I was able to easily identify where I was being shot during the demo I played. Not only does this make it a compelling device for those who are looking for another level of immersion, but also it could potentially you a competitive edge over your opponents, and it was comfortable too!
I could feel the rumble of my shots, with each sensation feeling different based on what weapon I was firing and which direction I was shooting. Project Esther is 'just' a seat cushion and as such, never makes any direct contact with the front of your body. But it was still, somehow, able to send shockwaves through me and generate rumble sensations in my chest and stomach.
The most that many casual gamers will have likely dabbled in haptic feedback will be the rumble from their Xbox Wireless Controller or PS5 DualSense controller. It's difficult to emphasise just how different this level of haptic feedback feels compared to those devices. Project Esther was an experience like no other.
The cushion can adapt to the content displayed on your screen and generate tactile sensations that vary in intensity, speed and duration in real-time.
When playing Mortal Kombat 1, which hadn’t been modded like the earlier demo I played, I was still able to feel every kick, knock and grab running through my body. Project Esther can generate haptic feedback based solely on sounds too, making it plug-and-play with any game that has audio.
Project Esther blew me away and terrified me in equal measure, thinking about what the future of horror games will be… I already hyperventilate running away from the killer in Dead by Daylight as it is, without being able to feel their footsteps behind me.
But, that's not even the best bit about the device, because it's not just about gaming. Watching and feeling the THX movie intro blare out in front of me was exhilarating
Due to its real-time haptic generation, Project Esther can make anything you throw at it more immersive. Forget just watching a movie, you can feel like you're in the movie. Forget just listening to music, you feel like you're at a concert. This haptic seat cushion takes immersion to the next level, all without having to worry about wearing a bulky vest.
After trying Project Esther CES 2024, I'm excited about the potential of the concept and think it could revolutionise how we consume game content, as well as video. With developer kits going out during CES, I’m excited to see what game developers can do with this technology at their fingertips.
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As of right now, Project Esther doesn’t have a projected release date. In fact, Razer is still developing this device and there's no guarantee it will ever hit the market. However, based on the prototype I tested, I hope that we will get to see the device hitting the shelves in the coming years, because I'd be first in line to get one.
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