In the world of mobile gaming, a perfect controller can be hard to come by. Even with our personal favourite, the Backbone One, it can feel like you need to make compromises on comfort and accuracy, particularly if you have larger hands or want to take part in longer sessions. You can always connect a regular gamepad via Bluetooth, but if you don't have a good way to set your phone up as a display or there are connection issues, this isn't a perfect fit either.
Luckily, if mobile controller problems are a frequent annoyance for you, a new product on Kickstarter might just alleviate some issues.
The ELO Vagabond is currently seeking crowdfunding support on Kickstarter, and it could end up being the very first mobile dedicated gaming controller that features full-sized Hall Sensor thumbsticks, as well as support for IOS and Android, and even proper grip handles.
The Vagabond has already smashed its $32,000 CAD goal ($23,453 USD/£18,625), racking up support to the tune of $89,537 CAD ($65,568 USD / £51,883) from only 244 backers. That's quite an impressive feat - and shows you that there are plenty of folks who don't feel like even the best mobile controllers fulfill their gaming needs.
There are still 18 days to go on ELO's Kickstarter project, which promises that the Vagabond will be ready to ship by January of 2024.
In terms of price, it looks as though the controller will have a $149 USD price tag, which would put it in a higher bracket than the Backbone One or the Razer Kishi V2, both of which sit at $99.99/£99.99. It also seems as though there will be worldwide shipping costs - ELO is a start-up after all. That will no doubt result in an even higher price for buyers at the end of the day, but then again, there aren't too many mobile controllers with the expansive feature list this has.
First of all, its layout is offset, or asymmetrical, and it has those aforementioned full-size, Hall Effect Sensor sticks that won't suffer from drift like even some of the best PC controllers can. Moreover, it has Microswitch buttons that ELO quotes as being "quiet" - which would certainly be a welcome change from the Backbone One, since one of my few complaints about that controller is that its buttons are a tad loud during more intense play. These microswitches will last a quoted 3 million cycles, too, so durability shouldn't be a worry, even though ELO promises a lifetime warranty and 24/7 customer support.
IOS and Android compatibility means it'll be available with both a Lightning Adapter Port and USB-C, and perhaps most notably, it has universal compatibility with all phone models and their cases. Again, one of the few shortcomings of the Backbone is that you need to take your phone out of its case in order for it to slot into the cradle. That is unless you buy one of the partner cases made by Peel that are designed to be thin enough that your phone case to fit - but this sets you back an extra £24 in the UK.
Thanks to some clever adapter brackets that will come with the Vagabond, and you can swap into the cradle, it should fit any phone and case combo without any bother.
Of course, Backbone and Razer's Kishi V2 didn't just get to the top of the mobile controller market with hardware alone. Part of the appeal is that the two have proprietary apps that allow you to access storefronts and game libraries like Xbox Game Pass and PlayStation Remote Play, among others. ELO seems to have taken this in stride, and it's launching its own companion app too, which will support consoles, Steam, Apple Arcade, Nvidia Gforce Now, and Amazon's Luna.
News of a mobile controller with full-sized thumbsticks and lengthier grips may be somewhat of a worry for Sony's Project Q, which after GameScom we learned will be called the PlayStation Portal. Since that device is essentially a controller sawed in half and placed on either side of an 8-inch display, its design is actually very similar to ELO's Vagabond.
The difference is, that you can't take the PlayStation Portal on the go unless you know you'll have Wi-Fi, whereas this will offer a lot more comfort, not to mention access to lots of different virtual gaming libraries, and it doesn't need to be tethered to a console. You'll also be able to connect to any wireless earbuds your phone can, unlike the new-gen PSP. I should also add that the Vagabond has a 3.5mm headphone jack on the bottom of its left grip, and a USB-C charging port on the right.
Not only are portable mobile controllers cropping up all over the place that can "turn your mobile into a games console", but there are plenty of viable handheld gaming PCs like the Steam Deck, and Asus ROG Ally. Not to mention, my fellow hardware editor Phil managed to get the Logitech G Cloud to act as a PlayStation Portal already.
Since Project Q will need a PS5 in standby mode for remote play to work, and the DualSense has already been hamstrung by stick drift issues, the new ELO Vagabond might just be a cheaper alternative for those who want a more viable handheld solution.
Check out some of the other innovative controllers on the market at the moment. We've pulled together lists of the best PS5 controllers, the best Xbox Series X controllers, and the best joysticks.
