Introduction

In recent years the gaming industry has exploded, and sales of games across all different markets has grown significantly. It is no surprise then that gaming peripherals have seen similar success. More than just game controllers and joysticks, research and development on devices such as mouses, mouse pads and keyboards have been invested in by gaming companies to keep up with the craze sweeping the globe. Gaming headsets are no exception, and the average gamer now has a wider selection than ever to choose from to complete their gaming setup.

Headphone development though is no new field and recent times have seen few breakthrough developments. Audiophile circles have long appreciated the benefits of headphones and as a result there are already products on the market that are matured, and of excellent quality. Not only are headphones ideal for gaming where speakers are inappropriate/unavailable they are generally considered superior as they make the game more immersive, enclosing the user in sounds of the virtual world.

Strangely enough though, there is a grey area between “gaming headsets” and hi-fi headphones. Originally gaming headsets were cheap accessories that could be bought for very little money. Headsets were basically low quality headphones with a microphone attached to one of the headpieces that made them convenient for in-game communications. Today headsets have developed features such as advanced cable and microphone management; others have lost the attached microphone completely, hence making the distinction rather blurred. It seems it has more come down to the company selling the product and their target market than the design of the product itself.