Rode launches new gaming division, Rode X

The music industry giant is yet another to cross the gap over into gaming, launching Rode X, its new division dedicated to gaming peripherals.

As the gaming industry begins to balloon into other factors, it was inevitable that the big players in the adjacent industries would begin to converge on it. Next in line is Rode, which has been the core piece of many streamers and online productions since it branched out with the original Rodecaster Pro.

Even before then, their hardware was solid, reliable, and most importantly, good. Now, Rode X is being launched to siphon off the gaming focus into its own division. Rode will launch the XCM-50 and XDM-100, along with a new piece of software, UNIFY.

UNIFY functions similarly to the onboard operating system that powers the Rodecaster Pro II, allowing it to integrate and mix your various sources outside of your OBS Studio, or chosen recording and streaming software.

This extra level of control also comes with the virtual sound pads, which can be mapped to any sound you happen to have on your PC.

The two microphones both feature familiar designs, with the XDM-100 offering your traditional condenser microphone style, while the XCM-50 looks like it might be screamed into by a futuristic Michael Buffer. Both have headphone ports to condense setups into one device and are both powered by USB-C, rather than XLR.

In the press release, Senior Product Manager of Rode, Chris Beech said:

“UNIFY is a huge step forward for streaming and gaming audio technology.

“Throughout development, we spent countless hours researching exactly what streamers and gamers need from audio software and worked tirelessly to implement every feature while ensuring it is as simple to use as possible.”

We’ve managed to get hold of both microphones and will bring you a review later today.