Virture and 8BitDo have teamed up on a new smartphone controller designed specifically for use with the Viture Pro XR glasses. You can slot your Android phone into the Viture x 8BitDo Ultimate Mobile Gaming Controller to turn it into a Steam Deck- or Switch 2-style gaming handheld. However, unlike 8BitDo’s original Ultimate Mobile Controller and similar models that use Bluetooth to connect to your phone, this uses USB-C 3.0, and features an additional USB port for connecting the Viture XR and Pro XR glasses for zero-lag gameplay. The $79 controller is available now at Amazon.
While it currently only supports Android, Virtue says an iOS model will be available soon as well. A bundle that includes the Viture Pro XR Galsses and 8BitDo Ultimate Mobile Gaming Controller is also available for $468.
$79
The Viture x 8BitDo Ultimate Mobile Gaming Controller is an all-in-one mobile and XR gaming setup that utilizes USB 3.0 for a plug-and-play experience. As the name implies, it uses the excellent 8BitDo Ultimate–one of our favorite third-party controllers available on all consoles–as the basis for the design and features, including Hall Effect thumbsticks and triggers, two extra back buttons, and support for button remapping and other customization settings via the 8BitDo Ultiamte Software V2 app on mobile and PC.
The 8BitDo Ultimate Mobile Gaming Controller’s direct USB 3.0 connection is important because it eliminates the input lag present on some Bluetooth mobile controllers and prevents interference from other wireless signals. It also means the controller offers seamless, lag-free passthrough for the Viture XR glasses.
As mentioned above, 8BitDo also offers a Bluetooth version of its Ultimate Mobile Controller. While it lacks the low-latency input and video pass-through afforded by the new model’s USB 3.0 connectivity, it’s otherwise identical in features and form factor. This is also an Android-only device, but it’s available in black and white models, both of which are available for $50 at Amazon.
