Gamepad

Common card · No. 306148

A gamepad is a type of video game controller held in two hands, where the fingers (especially thumbs) are used to provide input. Typically the primary input device for video game consoles, gamepads feature a set of buttons and often one or more omnidirectional control sticks. First appearing in the early 1960s with custom devices for games like Spacewar!, the gamepad rose to mass-market prominence during the third generation of video game consoles with the introduction of the NES controller and its iconic D-pad. Since then, the design has undergone continued refinements, including the addition of shoulder buttons, analog triggers, and haptic feedback. While primarily designed for consoles, modern gamepads are also widely used on personal computers and have occasionally been adapted for non-gaming purposes, such as controlling military equipment or submersibles.

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