Microsoft’s latest marketing campaign declared that everything with a screen is an Xbox. And if you’re going to play on an Xbox, you need a controller.
Right now, you can get a Backbone One mobile gaming controller for iPhone or Android from Target for just $69. That’s a $30 savings that you can use toward some Xbox Game Pass Ultimate (16.99 for one month from Target) to keep you gaming on the go.
🔥The hottest Black Friday deals🔥
A budget-friendly entry point to handheld gaming
The handheld gaming revolution is in full swing, with consoles like the Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck, and ROG Ally shaking up the concept of gaming on the go. These consoles can cost hundreds of dollars, but some more high-end versions even push a grand price tag. And that doesn’t even consider that we’re all still actively waiting for Xbox to release a native handheld console.
There is undoubtedly a barrier to entry to handheld gaming. Thankfully, we also happen to be in an era when nearly everybody has a supercomputer in their pocket in the form of a smartphone that can—and probably already does—play games.
Accessories like the Backbone One make it possible to turn the smartphone you already have in your pocket into a handheld console without draining your rainy day fund. The Backbone One is iPhone-compatible and Android-compatible and pairs exceptionally well with Xbox Cloud Gaming (available only through an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription) to get you playing whenever you want, wherever you want. You’re not just limited to playing games available on Game Pass, either, as Xbox has recently announced an update that lets users bring their own games to streaming via Xbox Cloud Gaming.
In the Windows Central review of the Backbone One, we dubbed it one of the best controllers for Xbox Cloud Gaming. That said, there are some trade-offs when opting to use your smartphone and a controller instead of a handheld gaming console. Unlike handheld gaming consoles, the games require a high-speed internet connection to stream them. There’s also the added cost of an Xbox Game Pass subscription, which is required to access cloud streaming of Xbox games. However, the Backbone One is also compatible with native mobile games.
At just $69, the Backbone one is an excellent way to get into the Xbox ecosystem while on the go—at least until an Xbox handheld officially comes along.
🍁More great Black Friday deals🦃
- Best Buy: Big savings on video games, accessories, and more
- Walmart: Early savings on practically everything
- Target: Live deals on a huge range of products
- Dell: Top deals on laptops, gaming PCs, accessories, and more
- HP: Save big on laptops, desktops, accessories, and more
- Lenovo: Doorbuster deals on all Lenovo PCs, monitors, accessories, and more
- Newegg: Save on PC gaming accessories, components, and more
- Razer: Take advantage of free shipping for a limited time
- Samsung: Holiday deals on laptops, TVs, phones, and more are live
- Amazon: Constantly rotating sales on everything you can imagine
