8BitDo challenges Backbone at its own game with new attachable mobile controller

You may be familiar with 8BitDo for its selection of third-party game controllers and adapters. The company is launching yet another controller, but this time it’s specifically targeting Android devices.

Today, 8BitDo announced the launch of the Ultimate Mobile Gaming Controller (UMGC). This gamepad is, in fact, the company’s first controller designed to attach directly to a smartphone.

Similar to the popular Backbone One, this device is expandable, allowing it to fit around smartphones or small tablets measuring between 100mm and 170mm in length. Unlike the Backbone One, however, this device doesn’t use USB-C to connect to the phone or tablet. Instead, it relies on a Bluetooth connection, which means it has a battery.

That battery has a capacity of 350mAh and is rechargeable, so you don’t have to worry about purchasing new batteries. The company claims that a charge of 1.5 hours allows up to 15 hours of playtime. Having a battery also means it is heavier than the Backbone One. For comparison, the UMGC weighs 236g and the BackBone One weighs 138g.

If you don’t mind the extra heft, then you’re getting a gamepad that has a similar layout to an Xbox controller. That means offset thumbsticks, buttons (A, B, X, and Y), a D-Pad under the left thumbstick, and shoulder buttons and triggers. The sticks and triggers feature drift-resistant magnetic Hall effect sensors, so you don’t have to worry about unwanted movements or trigger presses. There are a few differences, as the UMGC has back paddles, as well as turbo, macro, and profile buttons.

Users have the ability to remap buttons, tweak thumbstick sensitivity, create macros, and setup profiles through the company’s Ultimate Software. This software is available on desktop or mobile. The UMGC is only compatible with Android, but if you want one, it’s up for pre-order right now on Amazon for $49.99.