This Twitch Streamer Is Building a Controller to Beat 'Elden Ring' With Her Mind

Gamepads and keyboards have long been the standard way to control video games, but one creator is currently in the process of crafting a “completely hands-free game controller,” allowing her to play her favorite games with nothing more than thoughts.

The creator, Perrikaryal on TikTok, recently gave a brief overview of the project, highlighting some of the ways you’ll be able to manipulate the onscreen action without using any physical buttons. The wild contraption uses an EEG, the Emotiv API, and a whole lot of Python — and even though it’s not complete, the project seems to be moving along nicely.

In fact, the latest iteration of the system can “press any button you want…on a virtual Xbox controller.” This is done by visualizing certain images. Perrikaryal gives the example of imagining an object coming towards you as the trigger for attacking, while something lifting causes you to dodge.

Instead of using a simple, slow-paced game to test out the mind-control device, Perrikaryal is using Elden Ring. What’s even more impressive is that she seems to have incredible control of her character, as she's shown off defeating Morgott the Omen King, a boss that many struggle to slay with standard controller inputs.

Another cool feature is that the mind control device shows which portions of the brain are active, thanks to the EEG. Not only does this help for troubleshooting, but it offers an impromptu celebration when eliminating a difficult boss, as neurons across the entire brain start firing and light up the screen.

Comments on the project are largely positive, with viewers chiming in that this could be a huge win for accessibility in games.

“This could make so many games accessible to a ton of new people,” wrote one user. Another said that they’re more interested in this project than Apple’s upcoming VR headset.

Most importantly, however, folks are wondering when this “controller” will make its way into the hands of the public. Unfortunately, there doesn’t seem to be any response from Perrikaryal — but here’s hoping it eventually finds a larger audience.

This isn’t the first time players have experimented with unique ways to control video games. MissMikkaa is one of the latest players to experiment with Elden Ring, as she played two versions simultaneously. One was controlled with a standard DualSense controller, while the other was handled with a dance mat intended for Dance Dance Revolution.

Another player managed to get a banana working as a controller, while yet another used a gigantic harp to defeat Margit, the Fell Omen. There are clearly some wild ways to experience Elden Ring, and it’ll be curious to see how Perrikaryal’s final product stacks up to the competition. It’ll also be interesting to see it translated to different games, as the technology isn’t tied directly to the FromSoftware title and should be able to be applied to a variety of software.