Xwerx is run by two brothers, Dave and Mark Sparling who, like many others who are gamers, are beginning to feel the effects of age or repetitive stress (Mark’s a drummer) on their gaming. As Dave talked about aching wrists and forearms, I found myself nodding along.

To mitigate some of the aches brought about by long gaming hours, the Sparling boys came up with XtendPlay, which can be fitted to XBox and Playstation controllers. The docks are made from closed-cell antimicrobial foam that is resistant to tearing, heat, cold and your favorite caffeinated beverage and it’s lacking in AZO-dye, phthalate, PVC and other nasty things you sometimes find in foam. Each was specifically designed to eliminate the empty space between a regular controller and your hands when regularly holding a controller. I was still hesitant, but willing to try and Dave sent me home with an XtendPlay for each system. At home, in the warm cocoon of my overstuffed chair, I decided to put the Playstation XtendPlay to work first. The Playstation controllers have always seemed overly small to me and I’ve never like playing long with the PS controller. With the XtendPlay in place, I fired up Motorstorm Apocalypse and started racing through the wastelands. An hour later, my hands felt great, when they normally would be cramping up a bit. What’s more, I found I wasn’t shaking out my hands, like I normally do. I was beginning to believe.

To be honest, my hands were still a little sore at the end, but not nearly as much as they had been before. I think some of it was that while the Playstation controller felt perfectly at home in my hands with the XtendPlay wrapped around it, the XBox controller and its foamy dock felt just a tiny bit oversized to me. This is definitely a product where individual experiences will probably vary a good deal.

However, I was surprised by an unexpected benefit from the shape of the XtendPlay. Its extended length allowed me to rest my arms as the controller and XtendPlay rested against my belly. It seems like a minor thing, but I felt as though this actually alleviated some stress in my arms. I also liked the fact that the foam is soft enough that you can squeeze it like a stress ball, which is helpful after four-putting for the seventh hole in a row at Augusta.

Overall, for me, the Playstation XtendPlay was definitely worthwhile. The Xbox XtendPlay, while not as perfect a fit for me, still offered some help and made the experience better. But, at the end of the day, I think the best testimonial is that a week after I finished demoing the XtendPlays, I’m still using them for my regular gaming.

XtendPlays are available in North America from the Xwerx site or Amazon stores in the US and UK for $19.99 each.