Backbone’s PS5 DualSense-inspired controller is now available for Android
There’s a new, Sony-licensed mobile controller in town. Backbone’s DualSense-inspired One, which originally launched in 2022 for iOS, now has an Android counterpart with USB-C support instead of Lightning. This PlayStation edition is a palette swap from the all-black version that’s selling for the same $99.99 price, adopting the DualSense’s black and white color scheme, as well as its translucent face buttons.
In case you haven’t heard of the Backbone One, it’s the best controller made for a phone that I’ve used. It plugs into your phone’s charging port, using less battery over time compared to Bluetooth wireless, and it offers a passthrough charging port and a 3.5mm headphone jack.
Notably, the Backbone One is now the only third-party Android controller that works with PS Remote Play (just as it is on iOS), the app that lets you connect to your PlayStation 4 or 5 console and play it over Wi-Fi or cellular. With the latest update to the PlayStation app, gamers can launch right into it by double tapping the Backbone One’s options button.
$99.99 is a lot for a controller, but I haven’t found any other option that so convincingly turns your phone into a console, of sorts (although, Razer has come the closest). When you plug in your phone, you’ll be greeted with a well-designed dashboard that encourages game discovery, interacting with friends, and sharing clips and screenshots on social media. It’s a nifty gadget, and PlayStation fans who have an Android phone might have a hard time resisting it.
Read more on polygon.com
