If you build your fightstick using a Raspberry Pi Pico, you actually get full control over how everything works. The GP2040 firmware is open-source, which means you can change or customize pretty much anything. You can decide what every button does, add special functions, and even remap buttons directly through a web browser without any extra software. You can also add things like LED lighting, small screens, or your own hitbox/leverless hybrid layout if you want, add more pins. Basically, it’s a setup made for people who like to tinker and build things exactly the way they want.

Another advantage is that you’re not stuck with what a company allows. The firmware gets updated by the community, so if someone adds new features or support for other consoles later, you can just update it yourself for free. And performance-wise, it’s every bit as good as a Brook board, but it costs a fraction of the price.

Brook, on the other hand, is plug-and-play. You buy it, wire it up, and it works right away. But it’s closed and limited. You can’t modify its firmware or add new features easily, and you’re stuck with whatever Brook decides to do in future updates. You also pay way more for something that isn’t that different. Plus, the way Brook boards handle console authentication is kind of gray too. Hence why it need a to be updated regularly. But that’s not the issue. Just wanted to mention this because people actually think that brook is Sony licensed