Handheld gaming is peaking, thanks to the full reveal of the Nintendo Switch 2 and the pending unveiling of an Xbox-partnered ROG Ally 2.
However, one mobile game controller from VITURE and 8BitDo threatens to flip the word "portable" on its head, making even the largest of handhelds, like the 11-inch Acer Nitro Blaze, look like glorified remotes in the process — not to mention creating the headache of how to pronounce the word "alqefLod" in its wake.
How? Think big. Exceptionally big. 135-inches big, to be exact. That's the size of this handheld's display, which sounds like a misnomer, but it isn't. The controller is lightweight, ultra-portable, and fits just as comfortably in your hands as any other device of its ilk.
It sounds impossible, but the secret to this mobile gaming controller's reality-warping specs is revealed by a pair of reality-warping specs: VITURE's Pro XR glasses. The mobile controller is the world's first to support AR glasses, unlocking cinematic gaming experiences on the go that place the action right in front of your eyes.
VITURE x 8BitDo Ultimate Mobile Gaming Controller: The world's first mobile game controller designed for XR
Announced on Monday, the unassuming Ultimate Mobile Gaming Controller might look like any other, at least in function — VITURE and 8BitDo's decision to opt for a translucent design with orange accents gives it real stand-out flair, similar to 2023's Steam Deck OLED limited edition.
There's certainly no 135-inch screen on show and nothing to suggest the device can unfurl like a paper fortune teller to reveal a secret foldable wonder. In fact, the only screen you'll see is your phone's, as you'll be required to place it within the vice-like grips of the frame.
However, hidden in the right grip is a dedicated USB-C port, designed specifically for VITURE's Pro XR glasses to connect to. Once connected, that promised display appears in all of its glory — literally right before your very eyes.
The result is a set of per-eye augmented reality displays spanning up to 135 inches in size (at a distance of 6 meters), powered by micro-OLED displays within the frames and projected in front of you through birthbath optics.
Compatible with both Android and iOS devices, the VITURE x 8BitDo Ultimate Mobile Gaming Controller turns handheld gaming into a virtual cinema experience with its AR displays, electrochromic lenses, and built-in Harmen AudioEFX 3D-tuned speakers.
Not only will you be able to play the best titles from Google Play and the App Store natively through your smartphone, but with a Wi-Fi connection you'll be able to enjoy console gaming through PlayStation and Xbox remote play; and even indulge in cloud gaming via Amazon Luna, Nvidia GeForce NOW, and Xbox Game Pass.
All of which are plastered across an enormous, visually splended, 120Hz virtual display.
Once you factor in 8BitDo's excellence, which grants users remappable buttons, precision thumbstick tweaking, and adjustable trigger ranges, the experience becomes something truly well-rounded.
But the cherry on top may fall to VITURE's new mobile app, GamePal, which is set to further expand on the device's AR potential, which (considering the capabilities of the company's SpaceWalker app) could even stretch to include 3DoF (Three degrees of freedom) support for virtual displays.
What's next
It could be tempting to write off the VITURE x 8BitDo Ultimate Mobile Gaming Controller as something of a gimmick, but it does manage to pull together a pretty compelling package for AR glasses owners to make use of, bringing your smartphone into the action as the compute puck for a seemingly solid AR experience on the go.
If it works as well as its on-paper claims suggest, VITURE and 8BitDo's world-first may not be the last effort to bust media out of its flat screen Folsom and could go some way to showcasing the real potential of AR glasses for gaming.
Sadly, if you're looking to try out the VITURE x 8BitDo Ultimate Mobile Gaming Controller for yourself, the company currently has no details on pricing and availability to share.
However, VITURE Pro XR owners on Android can sign up to test the device in beta and help flesh out the experience for users when the controller releases later this year.
