I’ve been playing Fortnite ever since its early days as a tower defense game, but it wasn’t until Fortnite Festival that I truly became obsessed. In the Guitar Hero and Rockband-inspired mode, I can easily spend hours upon hours wittling away at playing songs by Paramore and Chappell Roan, but without a proper controller, it never feels quite right.
Fortunately for me, the Fortnite Festival Edition of the CRKD NEO S controller is now just $49.99 at Amazon, saving 17% off its MSRP of $59.99. That saving of $10 may not seem like a huge deal, but for this official Fortnite Festival version of the gamepad, this marks a new record low price. A record low price the likes I’ve only spotted once ever before, making this not just a rare saving but one of the best controller deals I’ve spotted this month.
Typically, the normal versions of this controller are even cheaper, having an MSRP of just $49.99. As of typing, it’s also part of the Amazon spring sales, with a discounted price of just $37.99, but it doesn’t come with all the Fortnite Festival bells and whistles. The Fortnite Festival version of the rhythm PC controller adds comes with a custom detachable 5-fret attachment, so you no longer have to depend on any awkward d-pads when trying to jam out with your friends online – and I’ve never clicked ‘add to cart’ faster to grab my own.
Should you buy the CRKD NEO S (Fortnite Festival Edition) controller?
Fornite Festival is one of the best game modes tucked away in Epic Game’s Fortnite, but playing it with even one of the best Nintendo Switch controllers just feels odd – especially if, like me, you grew up on Guitar Hero. That’s why picking up the CRKD Neo S Fortnite Festival controller could be your saving grace.
The compact gamepad is specifically designed with Fortnite Festival in mind, if that wasn’t obvious enough from its Fornite branding. Like I briefly touched on before, the controller can connect to your PC, Switch, or smartphone via Bluetooth and comes with a custom detachable 5-fret attachment. If you’re old enough to have ever played the Guitar Hero On Tour controller built for the original Nintendo DS handheld, it’s a bit like that.
To start jamming out with your friends or play ‘Hot To Go’ on repeat like I do, all you have to do is flip the controller on its side to give you easy access to the charming purple buttons. It’s not a complete stand-in for a proper guitar music rhythm controller, but it’s a notable step up from trying to keep your timing and perform more complicated combos on a d-pad.
If that sounds good to you, but you’re hesitant about dropping even the now discounted $49.99 on a controller just for Fortnite Festival, don’t worry about it. The CRKD Neo S controller is a worthy alternative to the best Switch and PC controllers, thanks to its programmable back buttons, swappable stick tops, and most notably, its hall effect sticks.
If you’ve ever almost become the last man standing in a typical battle royale but narrowly missed getting that Victory Royale because your character just started walking off on their own, then the CRKD Neo S is a good fit. It’s hall sticks essentially make the dreaded stick drift a thing of the past, thanks to the way it detects the presence of a magnetic field and inputs every time you move it around.
Alternatively, you could pick up the PDP Riffmaster guitar if you’d prefer a more immersive controller over the CRKD Neo S. It costs double that of the discounted Neo S, but can also be used to play Fortnite Festival, Clone Hero and is even a great emulation substitude for any official Guitar Hero and Rockband controllers. Better yet, unlike the CRKD Neo S, it’s compatible with the PS5, so Sony fans won’t have to miss out on the fun.
If the CRKD Neo S doesn’t quite meet your Fortnite-playing needs, check out our guides to the best PS5 controller, best Xbox Series X controller, and the best Nintendo Switch controller to find your perfect Fortnite Festival and Victory Royale-scoring match.