# Arcade Button Testers The Sole Purpose of Mike Sannikov's 'Button Factory' is to Test Buttons By Joey Haar | Published 2016-09-12 | Unique Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/button-factory References: [gizmodo](http://gizmodo.com/guy-builds-gorgeous-sequencer-just-to-test-video-game-a-1786435737) & [imgur](https://imgur.com/a/HwXSs) For product designers, things that might seem trivial to consumers are absolutely paramount, and this reasoning is why Mike Sannikov built his 'Button Factory' device. The gorgeous piece of [sampling equipment](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/intact-studio-vsn1) has no other purpose than to test the look, feel, and function of different brands and models of [arcade buttons](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/beau-mccall). Sannikov conceived of button factory when endeavoring to build his own [arcade joystick controller](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/8bitdo-arcade). Rather than blindly picking a button, he wanted to know the performance of each of his options. He ordered 16 buttons to sample, but "realized quickly: all buttons should be enclosed in simple housing to check [the] look and feel" and connected to electronics to check responsiveness, as Sannikov's imgur page puts it. Button Factory, the final product of this quest, is a testament to the thoroughness of a perfectionist designer. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 5.0/10 - Popularity: 66% | Activity: 75% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 70% men, 30% women - Primary generations: Millennial - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Unique](https://www.trendhunter.com/unique) > [Inventions](https://www.trendhunter.com/inventions) ## Key Themes ### What Makes This Trend Stand Out - **Arcade Gaming Equipment Design:** With a focus on small and often overlooked design elements like arcade buttons, designers can create cutting edge gaming experiences. - **User Experience Design:** Designers are considering every aspect of user experience when creating gaming equipment, including the look and feel of individual buttons. - **Rapid Prototyping:** Tools and technologies like Button Factory allow for quick and iterative design, reducing time spent during the product development stage. ### Sectors Adopting This - **Gaming:** Game developers can use Button Factory and other similar tools to ensure their gaming equipment offers a high quality experience for players. - **Product Design:** Product designers can utilize Button Factory and other tools to quickly and effectively test and iterate on the smallest details of their products, resulting in higher quality designs. - **Electronics Manufacturing:** Button Factory showcases the importance of prototyping and testing at every stage of electronics manufacturing to ensure high quality products are delivered to consumers. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Gamified Music-Making Machines](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/beat-machine.md) - [All-Button Arcade Controllers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/8bitdo-all-button-arcade-controller.md) - [Instant Micro-Entertainment Tools](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/boring-button.md) - [Kinetic Art Objects](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/la-machine.md) - [Industrial Video Game Controllers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/nothing-gamepad-1.md) - [Button Collection Tools](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/button-stealer.md) - [All-Button Arcade Controllers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mad-catz-neko.md) - [Accessibility-Focused Coffee Machines](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/innovative-coffee-machine.md) - [Mechanical Game Console Keyboards](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/megalodon-hitbox.md)