Backbone has unveiled the Backbone Pro, a cutting-edge gaming controller engineered to deliver a seamless gaming experience across a multitude of devices, including smartphones, tablets, laptops, televisions, and virtual reality headsets like the Apple Vision Pro. This innovative controller is designed to transcend traditional platform limitations, offering both USB-C wired connections for handheld gaming and Bluetooth capabilities for wireless play. It pairs effortlessly with a diverse range of devices, such as iPhones, iPads, Macs, Apple TVs, Meta Quest, and Samsung Gaming Hub. The integration of Backbone’s proprietary FlowState technology facilitates swift transitions between connected devices, enhancing the fluidity of the gaming experience.
In practical use, the Backbone Pro has demonstrated exceptional performance. When tested with cloud gaming services like GeForce NOW and Xbox Cloud Gaming, playing titles such as Fortnite on devices like the iPhone 16 Pro Max and Mac was both smooth and responsive. The controller’s versatility in switching between handheld and wireless modes contributes to a console-like gaming experience, elevating it beyond the realm of standard mobile accessories.
The development of the Backbone Pro was an extensive process spanning three years, involving over 9,000 component iterations and 30 user research studies. The engineering team, comprising professionals with backgrounds at Apple and Google, succeeded in creating a compact controller that features full-size joysticks. Additional enhancements include remappable back buttons, customizable control profiles, and an ergonomic design tailored for comfort during prolonged gaming sessions.
A significant aspect of the Backbone Pro is its deep integration with the Backbone app, which supports a wide array of gaming platforms, including Apple Arcade, the App Store, Netflix Games, Xbox Remote Play, Steam Link, and GeForce NOW. The app introduces a new emulator, expanding support to retro games for the first time, and incorporates a smart search function to streamline the process of launching titles across different platforms.
Subscribers to Backbone+ gain access to a rotating library of complimentary games, along with enhanced features tailored for the new controller. The Backbone Pro is priced at $169.95 and became available on May 6 through the official Backbone website and Best Buy. It joins the existing Backbone One in the company’s expanding lineup of gaming hardware.
