MSI launches Liberator programmable foot pedal for games and work

The traditional keyboard and mouse combination is a time-tested classic in the world of gaming, but it necessitates the use of two other limbs – your feet – while you're playing. The MSI Liberator is a programmable foot pedal that may be used for any activity in any game.

There are three buttons within easy reach of a foot resting on the Liberator. The main input is a large flat panel located under your foot's ball, while two bumper keys may be struck by flexing your foot to the left or right. According to MSI, the response time is 100 milliseconds.

The Liberator uses PC software to enable gamers or other users to customize each of those three buttons with different functions in games or other programs. They may also be assigned macros, single-button shortcuts that can be used in place of longer chains of button pushes, such as fighting game combos.

Some of MSI's ideas include playing games with the Liberator as an accelerator in driving games, a push-to-talk button in chat applications like Discord, taking screenshots by pressing the left or right buttons, or leaning out of cover in shooters. Video, audio, or image editing applications may also benefit from the pedal.

The device is weighted to keep it on the floor, and has a tread pattern on it to prevent your foot from skidding around. It's angled at an easy eight degrees, and the button caps may be replaced depending on a user's feet size. Of course, no PC gaming accessory is complete without RGB bling, even if this one will spend its whole working life hidden under your desk.

Besides the option of having a set of four buttons, which is linked to one command, Up to four Liberators can be linked together, allowing players to play with up to 12 additional buttons. How would you navigate four pedals blindly is another thing, but we think it's intriguing to have one for each foot.

MSI's decision to start a fairly safe product like this using Kickstarter seems odd, but the campaign website claims the company tasked the product team with generating pre-sales and connecting and creating a community of grateful customers. If you're still on board, pledges start at $159 for one Liberator or $279 for a pair of them. With 25 days left, the campaign has already surpassed its modest $5,000 target, having raised over $120,000. Shipment is expected to begin in December if everything goes according to plan.