Microsoft has made its smallest controller yet without dropping any of the 18 standard gameplay inputs. Dubbed the Xbox Nano Controller, the latest Xbox-branded gaming peripheral is a little over 5 inches long and weighs 3.5 ounces (about 99g).
So you get the familiar Xbox layout in a pad Microsoft says is lighter and shorter than most modern phones. It’s pitched at younger players, smaller hands and anyone who wants something that fits in a pocket or a bag.
Xbox Wireless connects it to Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One consoles. Bluetooth covers Windows 10 and 11 PCs, tablets, iOS and Android devices, and compatible smart TVs, Xbox’s product page says. You can pair it with each and switch between them.
It has a programmable Action Button can take screenshots, capture gameplay or run another shortcut you use often. You can also remap the buttons in the Xbox Accessories app.
The battery is built in and rechargeable, though the box holds exactly one thing: the controller. The USB-C cable you need to charge it is sold separately, and Microsoft hasn’t given a battery life.
Xbox Nano Controller key specs
- Controls: all 18 standard gameplay inputs; programmable Action Button; button remapping in the Xbox Accessories app
- Connectivity: Xbox Wireless for Xbox consoles; Bluetooth for Windows 10 and 11 PCs, tablets, iOS, Android and compatible smart TVs
- Compatibility: Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Xbox on PC, Windows, Android, iOS
- Battery and charging: internal rechargeable battery; charges over USB-C (cable sold separately)
- Size and weight: a little over 5 inches long; 3.5 ounces
- In the box: wireless controller
Pre-orders are now open for it starting at $49.99 (about Php 3,150), and Microsoft says pricing varies by country. It goes on sale starting in November in 36 markets across the Americas, Europe and Asia-Pacific, among them the US, the UK, Japan, Korea, Taiwan and Brazil, with more to follow.
In the US, Xbox and Samsung will offer the controller and two months of Game Pass Ultimate for new members with select Samsung TVs this holiday season. The Xbox app in those TVs’ Gaming Hub lets players in select regions play Game Pass games from the cloud with just a controller. Xbox is also working with Meta on a US holiday offer that pairs the controller and two months of Game Pass Ultimate, again for new members, with a Meta Quest.
