The Stadia Controller introduced the idea of connecting directly to cloud gaming via its own Wi-Fi connection and, while Google’s platform is long dead, that dream lives on in the latest Xbox Controller.
The Xbox Nano Controller launches this week for $50 with a tiny footprint that’s designed for smaller hands or just portability. Microsoft announced the Nano in mid-October.
As it turns out, it also has improved cloud support baked in.
The Verge noticed that the Xbox Nano Controller supports “Cloud connect” which runs over Wi-Fi, just like Google’s Stadia Controller. Microsoft’s pop-up explains:
Cloud connect pairs your XBOX Nano Controller over Wi-Fi for a fast and responsive XBOX Cloud Gaming experience.
This is a preview experience and is still under development. It may not function as expected, and features or functionalities may change.
This functionality is expected in a future Xbox Elite Controller as well, The Verge notes, and Microsoft says the feature is “still under development.” Amazon’s Luna Controller also works over Wi-Fi, but Microsoft adopting the tech has the potential to bring it to a larger audience.
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