Patent ID: 8298084

Claim:
A multi-player game controller system comprising: a first hand-held game controller including; a first game controller housing; and a first input control attached to the first game controller housing, the first input control being configured to generate a first input control signal in response to, interaction with a first user; a second hand-held game controller, the first and second hand-held game controllers having engagement states of an engaged state and an unengaged state, the first and second hand-held game controllers being in fixed physical relation to each other with respect to at least one degree of freedom when in the engaged state, the first and second hand-held game controllers being independently movable in relation to each other when in the unengaged state, the second hand-held game controller including; a second game controller housing; and a second input control attached to the second game controller housing, the second input control being configured to generate a second input control signal in response to interaction with a second user; a third hand-held game controller, the second and third hand-held game controllers having engagement states of an engaged state and an unengaged state, the second and third hand-held game controllers being in fixed physical relation to each other with respect to at least one degree of freedom when in the engaged state, the second and third hand-held game controllers being independently movable in relation to each other when in the unengaged state, the third hand-held game controller including: a third game controller housing; and a third input control attached to the third controller housing, the third input control being configured to generate a third input control signal in response to interaction with a third user; and engagement circuitry configured to generate an engagement signal in response to the first and second hand-held game controllers being in an engagement state, and configured to generate an engagement signal in response to the second and third hand-held game controllers are in an engagement state.