Backbone One PlayStation Edition finally plays nicely with Android
USB-C connection brings Sony-approved remote play to Google phones everywhere
Last year’s superb Backbone One PlayStation Edition mobile controller was the perfect way for PS4 and PS5 owners to squeeze in some extra game time while away from their console – as long as they had an iPhone in their pocket. Backbone is now finally showing some love to the Android world, with the new Backbone One PlayStation Edition for Android (£100, from Amazon).
Just like the iOS edition, this new Android-friendly version was designed with direct input from PlayStation, and takes its design cues from the PS5’s DualSense controller. The pull-apart mechanism for docking your phone remains unchanged from the iPhone version, only instead of a lightning port it’s packing a USB-C connector instead.
It’s purpose-built for Sony’s PS Remote Play app, which recognises it as a DualSense controller rather than a third-party one, so everything should just work natively without any setup or button remapping. The black and white colour scheme should mesh perfectly with your PS5, too.
Offset thumbsticks (which feel more Xbox-y than PS-fine) aside, it has the same transparent face buttons as a PS5 pad, labelled up with familiar Cross, Circle, Square and Triangle icons – so what you’re pressing matches up with the prompts shown onscreen.
Double-tapping the controller’s options button will launch the PlayStation app, and it’ll work like a regular Backbone controller for other games or apps – including Xbox Cloud Gaming, Steam Link and Nvidia GeForce Now.
Backbone has also tweaked its own Android app to use PlayStation icons for its menus, and it comes with a content feed dedicated to all things PlayStation. Other controller-enabled games installed on your phone will also show up here too for easy access.
The Backbone One PlayStation Edition for Android is available to buy now. Pricing stays the same as the iOS edition at £100/$100.
Tom Morgan-Freelander
Deputy Editor 
