Microsoft’s $50 Xbox Nano Controller, launching this week, includes a Wi-Fi connection feature designed to support Xbox Cloud Gaming. The compact controller was announced in mid-October and is aimed at smaller hands and portability.
The feature, called “Cloud connect,” pairs the controller with Xbox Cloud Gaming over Wi-Fi. Microsoft says the connection is intended to provide a fast and responsive experience, but warns that it is still under development and may not work as expected. Its features may also change.
The approach recalls Google’s Stadia Controller, which connected directly to cloud gaming over Wi-Fi. Google’s Stadia platform has since shut down, while Amazon’s Luna Controller also supports a Wi-Fi connection.
The Verge reports that Microsoft expects the functionality to arrive in a future Xbox Elite Controller as well. Bringing the technology to Xbox controllers could make Wi-Fi-based cloud gaming connections available to a broader audience, though Microsoft has not described the feature as finished.
Sources: 9to5Google.