Backbone Pro: The Only Gaming Controller You’ll Ever Need?
Tired of juggling multiple controllers for different devices? The new Backbone Pro aims to be the ultimate solution, promising seamless gaming across phones, tablets, PCs, smart TVs, and even VR headsets. But does it live up to the hype?
The Backbone Pro builds upon the success of the original Backbone One, retaining its familiar ergonomic design with two halves connected by an expandable strip to dock your smartphone. However, the Pro takes things a step further with the addition of Wireless Mode via Bluetooth. This key update allows you to connect to a wide array of devices, eliminating the need for separate controllers.
According to Backbone CEO Maneet Khaira, this is the controller the company has been striving to create for years. The Backbone Pro boasts full-size thumbsticks, a D-pad, A/B/X/Y buttons, shoulder buttons, trigger buttons, a headphone jack, and a USB-C port. It's packed with enough battery life for approximately 40 hours of gameplay.
The hardware is only half the story. Backbone's app acts as a central hub for all your games, regardless of platform. It remembers paired devices, control layouts, and even your progress in each game. The app provides a unified library for app store titles (Apple Arcade, Netflix games), remote play such as Xbox Remote Play and Steam Link, cloud gaming Nvidia GeForce NOW, and even retro titles via an integrated emulator.
The controller features full-size joysticks and remappable back buttons, and involved over 9,000 part iterations and more than 30 user research studies, including the use of a proprietary 3D camera system to analyze hand movements during gameplay to ensure that is something comfortable. Users can remap every single button and save different control profiles for different games and the various platforms. To help users to launch games, they throwing in a new Smart Search feature to find and launch games across all these platforms from one spot.
However, compatibility isn't universal. The Backbone Pro isn't an officially supported PlayStation controller due to button differences, and it doesn't work with the Nintendo Switch. While workarounds exist (such as PlayStation remote play), truly native support remains a challenge.
Khaira's vision is for the controller to become the console itself, a concept he previously explored during his time at Google's Stadia. While Stadia ultimately failed, Khaira believes Backbone can succeed where Google faltered.
Priced at $169.99, the Backbone Pro is significantly more expensive than the $100 Backbone One, which will remain available. For dedicated mobile gamers seeking a premium, cross-platform solution, the Backbone Pro presents a compelling option.
Will the Backbone Pro truly replace all your other gamepads? Only time will tell. Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below!