CRKD is tapping directly into rhythm-game nostalgia with the return of one of the most iconic plastic instruments ever made. The Gibson SG Guitar Controller, first made famous during the PlayStation 2 era, is coming back for a modern encore. Pre-orders are open now, with shipments scheduled for December 2025, giving longtime fans and new players a chance to relive those weekend-long marathons of missed notes, whammy spam, and the occasional over-dramatic power stance.
This new edition is a full reimagining of the 2005 original, but it stays faithful to the look that made the SG the face of living-room rock. It features a matte black body, a bright white pickguard, and a brown OG-style fret neck complete with mechanical frets and a Crown Inlay graphic on the headstock. CRKD worked with many members of the original RedOctane team to revive the design, which should add a nice dash of authenticity for anyone who spent their teens unlocking Free Bird for the hundredth time.
The CRKD Gibson SG controller isn’t just a throwback. It is officially licensed for PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4, fully compatible with Fortnite Festival, Rock Band 4, and community favorites such as YARG and Clone Hero on PC. A dedicated Legacy Mode even brings support for classic Guitar Hero and Rock Band titles, which is a rare bit of good news for the aging rhythm-game library collecting dust on many shelves.
The real modernization comes through CRKD’s hardware upgrades. The SG now uses a Hall Effect Strum Bar engineered for precision and durability, offering a clean mechanical click and consistent accuracy. Combined with a Hall Effect Whammy Bar, the controller is built to withstand both expert-level charts and the occasional “enthusiastic” strum session. Supporting it is CRKD’s 8-action navigation hub, which includes dual analog sticks and a hidden D-Pad on the back of the headstock. A Platform Slider lets players flip between PS5, PS4, Legacy, and PC modes without digging through menus.
Customization also gets a big boost thanks to CRKD’s CTRL mobile app. Players can tweak strum sensitivity, remap fret buttons, adjust tilt activation for star power equivalents, and apply firmware updates. The app also ties into the company’s True Collection System, assigning each controller a unique number and rarity rank for collectors who take their plastic instruments very seriously.
Stephen Withers, Head of Product Design at CRKD and a former RedOctane designer, says the goal was to pay proper respect to the original while pushing the tech far beyond what was possible in 2005. Judging by the feature list, they’ve done exactly that. For rhythm-game fans, the Gibson SG Guitar Controller looks like a loving tribute with enough modern conveniences to make it more than just another nostalgia play.
If you have been waiting for the perfect excuse to dust off your Rock Band library or to dive into Fortnite Festival’s growing song list, the CRKD Gibson SG might be the controller that brings the band back together.
