Acer’s Project DualPlay is a truly wild gaming laptop with a built-in controller

Since the dawn of time, gaming laptops have relied on third-party controllers or the trusty mouse/keyboard combo. Acer, however, could be looking to change this paradigm. The company just announced a truly wild gaming laptop with a built-in controller.

Project DualPlay features a full-sized gamepad that inserts below the keybed, where the trackpad rests. You pop the controller out to play games and slide it back in when you want to do more conventional laptop-type stuff. It’s honestly not a bad idea, as it solves the problem of having to pack a third-party controller when traveling with a gaming laptop.

The detachable controller even splits into two joysticks for on-the-go multiplayer, sort of like the Joy-Cons from a Nintendo Switch. Here’s hoping these particular joysticks don’t suffer from drift. We also have some questions as to where the joysticks go when the laptop is closed.

There are also two speakers that pop out on each side of the machine to deliver “heart-pounding audio.” This is another nifty feature, as gaming laptops aren’t exactly known for offering the most immersive audio. Acer says the speakers pop out automatically when you remove the controller.

There’s not much by way of specs. This is a concept design, so the internals haven’t been ironed out yet. The laptop does, however, feature customizable RGB lighting that’s all over the place. There are lights on the keyboard, along the bezels, on the back and the trackpad, among other locations.

While Acer hasn’t announced its intention to actually manufacture this thing and sell it to consumers, it does look like a neat twist on modern gaming laptops. Acer calls it a “bold step forward in gaming innovation, promising to deliver unique experiences and engagements for gamers of all levels.” We’ll let you know if the company ever decides to make this laptop a reality. If it truly delivers on its promise, it could become one of the best gaming laptops out there. Unfortunately, it’s just as likely that Project DualPlay remains a glitzy, if memorable, concept.