Microsoft is giving Xbox Cloud Gaming users two additional ways to control games, both of which are now in preview. People who stream Xbox games on a supported smart TV can use their phone as a controller, and players in the US can connect the new Nano Controller directly to the service over Wi-Fi. Microsoft said availability, supported devices and supported games may be limited while the options remain in testing.
The phone controller runs through a browser interface, so no dedicated app download is required, and some games offer custom controller layouts. The option is available today on select TVs. To try it, users open Settings and then Account in the Cloud Gaming interface on their TV and turn on Preview Features.
Using a phone as a controller is not unique to Microsoft. Other game-streaming services, including Netflix, already offer it. It may not suit fast-paced games or titles with complex controls, but for things like turn-based games it gives players without a controller nearby a way to play.
The Nano Controller option is aimed at lowering latency by connecting the gamepad to Xbox Cloud Gaming over Wi-Fi rather than through another link. Users first set up the gamepad with the Xbox beta app on Android or the Xbox Accessories app on PC, then follow instructions to connect it to Wi-Fi. Those going through the PC app must be enrolled in the Xbox Insider testing program to try Wi-Fi connectivity.
Once the controller is set up, it connects over Wi-Fi when the user opens Xbox Cloud Gaming with the same account used during setup. Microsoft is not the first to try this approach: the gamepad for Google's discontinued Stadia cloud gaming service could also connect over Wi-Fi, and Stadia likewise let players use phones as controllers for TV play.
For now, Nano Controller Wi-Fi connectivity works only on smart TVs and the web. The previews arrive just before new Xbox Cloud Gaming time limits take effect this month. Microsoft has not said when either option will move beyond preview.
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