PlayStation Edition of Backbone One controller available for Android

Sony has teamed up with mobile phone controller company Backbone to release a PlayStation variation of the Backbone One for Apple's iPhone and Android devices.

Update: Having previously only been available for iPhone, the PlayStation edition of the Backbone One is now available for Android devices too. As previously, this controller frames your phone and allows you to play PS5 and PS4 games via the Remote Play app more comfortably. The SRP of $99.99 applies to the US, while the accessory is also available in Canada, the UK, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, Australia, and New Zealand. Asia is listed as coming soon.

Sony's weird PlayStation mobile controller patent has become the Backbone One — or the Backbone One has seemingly superseded Sony's initial DualShock-looking PlayStation mobile controller, at least. Designed by Sony in collaboration with Backbone, this officially licensed PlayStation product has been designed with the Remote Play app in mind, and apparently has been "inspired" by the PS5's DualSense controller.

PlayStation Backbone One continues Sony's push into mobile

If you've ever wondered what the DualSense would look like in Joy-Con form, now you know.

The 'Backbone One – PlayStation Edition,' announced on the PlayStation Blog, shows Sony once more pushing PlayStation Mobile after initially working to bring PlayStation IP to mobile. This time, however, Sony seems to be banking a lot more on the Remote Play app — as evidenced by the marketing for the Backbone One.

This is the second big partnership announced by Sony this month, with the company also officially licensing the PlayStation brand to create PS5 WD Black SSDs. We're not sure exactly whether this means Sony's own, weirder mobile controller patent is off the table completely, though we'd imagine that's the case. At the very least, hopefully we still see the rumoured PlayStation Pro Controller emerge in the coming months.

What do you think about this latest collaboration? The DualSense controller is also compatible with iPhones, so while you might be a little further from the screen, you can still experience all those The Last of Us Part 1 giraffe petting haptics from your phone if that's your preference. Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

Hardware

Written by Lee Brady

Staff Writer Lee keeps one eye on the future (Marvel's Spider-Man 2, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth), one eye on the past (PS Plus Premium, recent Sony news), and his secret third eye on the junk he really likes (Sonic Superstars, Final Fantasy XVI). Then he uses his big mouth to blurt out long-winded opinions about video games.