PlayStation has revealed their first ever official mobile gaming controller, known as the Backbone One PlayStation Edition. The news was announced via a blog post, where Maneet Khaira, the CEO of mobile gaming company Backbone, stated that the controller was designed with the PlayStation team, the colors, materials, and overall look, all tailor-made to match the look and feel of the DualSense controller. The blog promoted the use of it for the PS Remote Play app, which lets you play games you've downloaded on your PS5 or PS4 consoles on the go, as long as you have a powerful internet connection.
It was specified that the controller can be used for any mobile game with controller support, as well as games within other streaming services. The Backbone One is actually directly connected into your iPhone device, so no additional charging is required. The controller is currently only compatible with iPhone users, and no information was relayed about a potential Android version. It can be purchased here, for $99.99 USD.
In order to take advantage of PS Remote play all you need is a PS4 or PS5, and a purchased and downloaded game you'd like to play on the go. With any compatible device, though in this case it has to be an iPhone, you can download the free PS Remote Play app, and continue the game from where you left off. Most games are accessible, with the exception of VR games and games that require any sort of peripheral. At least 15Mbps download speed is recommended for a smooth experience.
The standard Backbone One was originally released in October 2020, and for this edition, there are both Android and iPhone versions. Looking at both side-by-side it's clear the PlayStation edition doesn't change much. The only noticeable differences, at least in the product images, are the white color, and the traditional PlayStation symbols on the buttons, otherwise they look quite identical. Furthermore, functionality with games appears to be exactly the same, which is why it makes sense that both editions cost $99.99 USD.
However, the attention raised by PlayStation's official licensing may draw in players who'd never given much thought to remote play. Game streaming is becoming more and more achievable as technology advances. Being able to continue playing a console-quality game on the go by using your phone, is a powerful selling point, and it may be Sony's compromising solution for players who still pine for another PlayStation hand-held console.
In other PlayStation-related news, Sony has finally confirmed that 1440p support for the PlayStation 5 is on the way. A new system software beta went live for the console yesterday morning, with a full release expected later in the year. Plenty of other features were also included in the beta, such as folders...kind of.