June 12, 2018 wasn’t just the first day of E3, it was a huge day for KontrolFreek, manufacturer of performance thumbsticks and other controller accessories for gamers. Going into E3 this year, KontrolFreek knew they wanted to be a part of that conversation, but how do you cut through the noise where hundreds of games are being shown" That was the question the company began brainstorming late last year.
KontrolFreek has been making performance thumbsticks for just over a decade. While they’ve got their own line of products that sell quite well, they found success in partnering with Activision to make licensed Call of Duty performance thumbsticks. That success extended to Destiny and Overwatch, two more Activision Blizzard first-person shooters that helped elevate an awareness around how performance thumbsticks are more than just thumbstick covers. KontrolFreek wants everyone to know that they actually change the way you play. In May, KontrolFreek launched yet another pair of licensed products, one partnering with Call of Duty: Black Ops 4’s reveal, and the other with Overwatch’s continued dominance as a hero shooter. The company knew they wanted to have a presence at E3, but didn’t want to cannibalize the launch or attention of either of those licensed May products. At some point they landed on gaming’s biggest modern trend, Battle Royale.

Popularized by free-to-play titles Fortnite and PUBG, Battle Royale is a frantic last-man-stan...