Backbone — Next-Level Play App Reviews

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Unreliable and Cumbersome. Had this app downloaded and setup when I first got my controller. I use it very infrequently only when traveling, which can be months between uses. Soon as the plane is in the air, I open the app only to realize it has signed me out and deleted all my setups. The best part is that you can’t use the app without service, so that was a complete waste. Decide to set it up while walking to my connecting flight, and it requires the controller to be connected just to get into the app. It’s ridiculous. This app should be able to be started, setup and perused well before connecting the controller and actually playing. And it’s still impossible to adjust controls in the app for certain games and many games do not recognize the controller for button remapping, despite recognizing inputs.

Buyer beware. After going back and forth as whether to purchase the Backbone or Razer Kishi I decided on the backbone. Most reviewers pointed to the software being the main thing that gave Backbone the edge, and that swayed my decision even though I could’ve bought the Kishi for a better price. Much to my surprise/chagrin, that wonderful software has an expiration date and then a $50 a year paywall. That’s half the price of the controller! Absolutely insane to ask that much for some minor conveniences. The app works well enough but be aware of the added cost when you decide to go this route. It’s not advertised or mentioned in any of those glowing reviews. I definitely have buyers remorse but hopefully this helps someone to at least know what they’re buying.

You should know. There’s a bug that makes the play anywhere feature disappear from the settings. Make sure your app and os are updated. Try restarting your phone before progressing to measures such as reinstalling the app. There’s no reason for this app to exist as it serves no purpose for the consumer other than providing a semi-organized menu of supported games and some moot features/settings. Evidently this app is a money grab and nothing more. It’s the easiest way for Backbones manufacturers to keep leeching money from our wallets with this new age trend of “subscription” models. I stopped using this app within weeks because it’s much simpler to add a safari shortcut of Xbox’s cloud play webpage as an app in your iPhone’s Home Screen. Apparently just making a living off the sales of a product isn’t good enough for businesses anymore, they MUST stay latched onto our wallets like a leech and keep that sweet residual income for a half-***** app that nobody really has a justification for paying $50/annually. My advice to backbone is get rid of the phony subscription based model and just be happy people have bought your niche mobile gaming controller that can’t even house our expensive smart phones if they are in a protective case thicker than 2mm.

Absolute trash. It basically forces you to use backbone +, and when you SOMEHOW figure out how to get to the main screen and past the screen forcing you to use backbone +, the controller never does what you want it to do and just spams random buttons, and i wouldn’t be as as mad, but: 1. This controller was $200!!! SCAM 2. This wasn’t a problem before. Once they started getting greedy around late February or early March, they’ve been bombarding you with micro transactions and the CONTROLLER BARELY WORKS 3. It randomly takes screenshots of your screen. This is probably in the same manner as the button spamming, but if you try to report Backbone for this, they DON’T LET YOU! If this thing was, like, $10 or $20, i wouldn’t be as mad, but the greedy executives at Backbone will do anything in their favor to get every last penny out of you. I know i sound pessimistic when i say this, but i’s give 0 stars if possible. And this problem isn’t just happening to me. Many other recent reviews have this same problem, and when Backbone (Or backbone’s ai, because i seriously doubt a real person reads these reviews) reads the reviews, they say that they’ll fix it right away, but either it takes them weeks to fix it, or they NEVER DO!

Just bc it's ps edition don't buy better off buying actual ps products. Bought ps edition your better off just using ps now app and connecting a controller to your phone the joysticks on backbone resemble more of an Xbox controller. When I tried playing a game from my ps5 it just took me to ps now app so really the backbone app is worthless considering you log on and require you to pay for an Xbox subscription just to use the Xbox games, the stream function is new to me as well but when trying to play games using it it just requires you to pay for games I already bought on ps5 thinking of returning and just buying something else I have the ps vita and its honestly a way better alternative for it being older last time I buy something without researching it

Needs lots of improvement!!!. This product needs multiple updates. I believe this product is way to expensive for what we are getting. For starters, I have to take off my case in order to play. I had updated my backbone last week, it no longer function properly. I contacted tech support. No help at all. Its like im speaking to a bot everytime smh. My left side of my controller no longer works and my buttons on the right work during testing, but not in the same games ive been playing since ive bought it. Im completely done with this product, on to the next one. Im sure with the amount of money this company is making from this controller, you will make a better model in the future. This company is on the right track, unfortunately this particular product is a bust. Better luck next time 🤷🏾

Could be better. I’m kinda mad, the app is good and all but I wish I didn’t have to have a membership to even play the games, I already spent 100 dollars on it, making me broke. I’m not old enough to have a job yet either and I saved money up for a long time to pay for it. If it wasn’t a pain to pay for it I guess I love the app. Edit: Thanks, my phone wasn’t letting me click it for some reason, it fixed when I updated my phone. I wish I could pay for it but I have to wait. Again thanks for responding and sorry for blaming you instead of my phone.

The app is actually close to perfect but. The app is all you could ever want from a phone gaming app. It organizes and shows you all sorts of games you may want to try that is supported. You can have a friends list and such and have parties and voice chat. It’s like Xbox live for your iPhone. The only problem is the backbone controller itself. It’s pretty good for most games and it’s responsive and the build quality feels solid however I feel like it fails at first person shooters. I think part of it is that the phone games aren’t really made for phone controllers so they are supported on a basic level.. with that said.. using this controller and an Xbox controller is night and day. The analog sticks on this feel a little flimsy making it easy to overshoot when aiming. This happening to me a lot but when playing with Xbox controller it worked much better… it’s fine for action games and platformer but shooters I won’t bother too much. Also the start button should be above the abxy buttons, i find it unnatural to reach for it there with my thumb. It’s not deal breaking but I feel it’s a few tweaks from being the best iPhone controller. The app though is perfect.

Great besides one thing. I would give it 5 stars the product is actually better then I imagined it would be. I never played mobile games often but now I find myself playing more often then not. It works very well with a lot of games. My only issue is when I try to play racing games such as Forza and when trying to race and turn right or left the sticks doesn’t fully go left like a genuine controller. It barely makes a left or right and I find myself crashing pretty often. So I stick with shooter games it works great. Also when playing PS remote play and I try to play CyperPunk there isn’t a button to bring up the map to fast travel or ping areas I want to go. It’s just the start button that brings up the start menu. Those are really my only issues that can be fixed with relative speed but overall it’s a great product that I don’t regret buying AT ALL. I love it

Love the Backbone controller and App for iOS. I tried both rayzer Kishi and the backbone for iOS, and for me the backbone came out on top. That being said I would like to see a selection that has controller only games from any seller for direct sales rather than buying a plan for each one and then still have to pay for a game. Also the video size output is kind of small would like it to be the size of a Instagram photo. I want to be able to post my video directly to LinkedIn like I can with Instagram. I would like the start broadcast button to appear on screen window with game not go in and out. Need to Have two separate Instagram share buttons one for highlights and one for stories and or regular post. Make some accessories and updates to this before making a new one so original buyers dont feel jipped, and finally there are two pieces on the rayzer Kishi that make your phone feel snug and safe looks like the same shape as your sides maybe you guys can make those like an add on to purchase to make your phone feel more safe . Also some type of magnifying attachment is needed to attach to the backbone to make your screen look a little bigger I would buy that. Those are my suggestions all in all backbone best Mobile controller on the market razer Kishi a close 2nd.

Stupid app, great controller. The controller is great if you want one. But I don’t understand why I have to pay 29 dollars a year in order to see all of my games in one place. That’s literally all the subscription does, along with letting you shop for games on different platforms on one app. Why does that cost anything? They say the backbone subscription comes with 25+ features and I have yet to see what those other 20 are. Without paying 29 dollars a year, the backbone button (home button) on the controller is completely useless. You literally get no free games with the subscription, no extra privileges what so ever other than being able to shop on the app. What shopping app makes you pay 30 dollars a year to use it? Doesn’t make any sense. I’m just going to stick to cloud gaming because I actually get free games with my subscription, and they keep my games in one place as well. F you guys for even thinking that makes sense

Not bad. I’m pretty happy that you can play assassin’s creed odyssey, and several other cloud games. What they don’t tell you is that it takes an annual fee of $40 a year to play on Backbone. I’m also pretty frustrated that I bought this less than a week ago and there now coming out with a USB-C type. I really hope Backbone has a solution or an adapter for older phones for those of us going to upgrade. Overall, I really enjoy it but I also wish you could put a tablet in it instead of a phone just so that you could see better. But it plays Diablo, immortal, assassin’s, creed, odyssey, monster, hunter world, and many other cloud games very well. It even sees all my old saves and loads. I’ve been very surprised. The controller is basically the exact same as my Xbox controller the buttons are just a tiny bit smaller and thinner. We have been looking for an alternative to buy a Nintendo switches for Travel . And I think this is it. I’ve been able to hook up my Steam account, Xbox account, Twitch and I’m hoping to eventually be able to hook up Amazons new world. If they ever get to it that would be cool! There are cheaper alternatives that are just as good but for $100 this feels like it’s built well and will last. Time will tell.

App works controller doesn’t. Was fine two days ago now my phone doesn’t pick up on the controller . Could be the app could be the phone update or computer idk I didn’t design it, but either way the light blinks on one time and shuts off for good when initially in the phone . Then it does nothing. No buttons work . Nothing . Hasn’t been 5 months yet and I’m having issues . I have a two year warranty so I might get it replaced which seems to be a waste of time for a controller that was literally working maybe 2 hours prior to it stop working ? …I was playing my game perfectly fine up until last night . This morning it was also fine until I took a game break . when I went to play it was acting crazy I assumed the button didn’t work but I kno that isn’t it. I took it off a few times and then it worked . This time it just isn’t working. I’d love for the issue to be resolved I love having my controller.

Meh. Instantly wanted to return the backbone considering they make you create an account and give them your phone number in order to use the product. They then try to force you into sharing your contacts, photo gallery permissions, and other personal data. Set up of the app also wouldn’t allow continuing without first subscribing to their $50/year app. Of course the first year is free, but don’t forget to cancel. The product itself was responsive and worked well, however it doesn’t fit the iphone 13 pro without an adapter. It also just plain feels weird to use, not erganomic. Returning. Moga $10 clip for xbox controllers is much more comfortable and the small latency isnt bad unless you’re seriously gaming, in which case, use your actual console.

Xbox Backbone!. I was sold this device without knowing it could also run PlayStation and steam games! AWESOME😎😎😎😎 I’d love to see improved stability, reduced menu waits, and maybe not having to pay for nvidia? Other than that this could be a 5 star I just feel like something is missing but can’t place my finger on it. Device has a port for a mic and two iPhone ports, one to insert the phone and play and one to plug another iPhone in. It was my birthday a few days ago and I haven’t had to the chance to play games like crazy but once I fired this up I played for a good 4-5 hours nonstop. Great device with even better performance🤝 i am extremely impressed

Extremely cool purchase. This is already one of my favorite iPhone accessory purchases of all time. The app is what seals the deal. The only thing that keeps me from giving this a 5 star rating is some of the missing features that probably should’ve shipped with the product. Such as a better way to view all games pulled into the app for launching. Right now I have to scroll across a surprisingly long list on a single horizontal row. A simple “expand list” button or function would allow me to see more at once and choose my next game. Even a menu option for a list view page would work. Adding games is a bit cumbersome as well but maybe that’s due to apple API limitations. Overall a great first version and I’m more than ok with my early adopter purchase.

Disappointed. Had this device for about 2 months and the experience at first was great until the whole year subscription con is pulled on you, i paid because I wanted the total experience of the product only to have mechanical issues later, for that price point plus added subscription charges this product should 1 come with a carrying case of some sort and 2 be a little more durable like cmon the sticks feel like they were ordered from wish at best on top of my sound goes out when i connect my device(iPhone 14 pro max). AT this point I’m ready to just cancel my year subscription and take the loss but I won’t buy from this company again I feel swindled

They’re asking for way too much info for a controller.. I plug the controller into my phone and it basically downloaded the app for it right away. Then the setup needs a boatload of info from you, including your phone number and email address. Why? Then to finish the setup, you have to agree to a free year trial of something called Backbone Plus. If you cancel or back out, you have to start all over. Also they’ll spam you with text messages and emails to remind you that you need to claim your free trial. I don’t like this vulture marketing for something I don’t even want because im still not sure what it even is. You can play without the app, but I wanted to see if there was a way to tweak some of the settings on the controller such as the stick sensitivity with the app. Controller seems fine from what I’ve used so far, but the data collection from the app is incredibly unnecessary and I already regret trying to go through the setup process.

First good iOS controller—but App steals the show too. The controller is top notch. My only complaint is that I would have preferred softer ABXY buttons like on the Switch Lite. They’re very clicky which makes it hard to game in bed with the spouse. BUT it’s seriously so much better than any other controller, and the app is fantastic. That brings the whole experience together and makes you feel like you’re playing on an actual console. There are a few games missing from it like Titan Quest HD and it shows some games incorrectly like Skyforce Reloaded, which doesn’t have controller support. But overall it’s the best way to see what games have controller support. Apple should just buy these guys and make it official because they provide a much better experience than the App Store.

Add touch control mapping feature!!!. Love the controller and have been using it for a couple years now. One major feature request I would like to see is the ability to map touch controls to the hardware controller for games that do not support MFI functionality. I’ve seen this in a few competing products and think that if this were added it would allow one to play an even larger library of games and for those who can’t use touch controls well. this device would unrivaled in the industry if this feature were implemented. Thank you and keep being awesome! 😽

Decent software, poor hardware. Having gone through two Backbone One controllers, I am extremely disappointed with this product as a whole. The software is limited by Apple and all of its stubbornness, but the parts that really matter (the gameplay integration and responsiveness) are there and work well. The main failing of this product is the build quality. Springs that sounds loud and fragile, triggers that make popping and grinding noises while dropping inputs; inconsistent yet persistent issues that plague the physical hardware resulting in an unsatisfactory gameplay experience. Customer support has been really good by getting back to me and making return/exchanges painless but I frankly do not want to try a third controller so I can hope this one will be problem-free. Once manufacturing issues are resolved and Apple opens up a bit, I could see this being the real deal. But at $100, no option for a carry case, software limitations and a ton of physical issues, I can’t recommend the product in its current state.

It’s great BUT…. So I put off buying this device (PlayStation edition) for a while and I finally made the jump and purchased one. It’s nice being able to play games on my Iphone and worked perfectly well until about 3-4 days ago when this app updated and now my backbone disconnects during my COD matches. It is frustrating to say the least. The backbone button will start blinking when that happens and sometimes I’ll get a pop up saying that the device isn’t supported. I’ve already tried the troubleshooting that’s given through support. With all of this, now I’m debating if I should return the controller now. I hope the company fixes the issue because I really don’t want to return it.

Amazing. This controller is absolutely amazing I love everything about it, it’s super high quality the buttons are really good and I love how you can both plug headphones/earbuds into it and also charge up your phone without the cords of both getting in the way and putting marks on your hand. The box it came in is really cool especially now since I’ve put my own personal touch to it. I love playing Minecraft with it ( the creeper is what’s on the box, yes I made sure you could still see the logo) it gave me the opportunity to play it with one thing u can’t do without the controller and that’s the pick item ( Java editions middle click) which I love and then I also like playing CODm and Genshin impact the play style is really good and rn I’m in the process of getting more games just so I can use the controller more than just those 3 games. I’ve already suggested it to one of my friends and he said he’s definitely going to get one. I love the app as well I think it’s so cool how you can basically use it like it’s a console in the app that’s just mind blowing yo me. Everything about the controller is awesome I absolutely love and I highly recommend this to anyone with a iPhone 6 and up cuz that’s all the devices it’s compatible with.

Great and great customer support. I bought a Backbone One in November 2021. Paired with this app, it was wonderful. However, less than four months later, I had severe drift down and to the right with the left thumb stick and the d-pad (any direction) triggers a barrage of screenshots. I thought customer support wasn’t responding, but it turned out their messages were going to my Junk mail. However, THEY persisted and made sure to contact me until we were able to arrange a quick exchange for a new replacement controller. Excellent service and the app/controller are fantastic for mobile gaming.

Um… Why?. I downloaded this app and followed it through the setup, only to find that it doesn’t actually add anything to the experience. Don’t get me wrong, the BackBone controller is five stars easily, but the app is redundant. It shows you which games you can use the controller with, but that’s easy enough to find out anyway. If you select an XBOX game, it takes you to “set up services” where the instructions tell you to create a shortcut to XBOX Streaming and then to…USE THAT APP TO LAUNCH THE GAME?!? So, what exactly did you do for me there other than add another step? If you find an Apple Arcade game that you already have downloaded, and you select that game in the app, the only option offered is to download the app?!? I already did that! If I want to play the game, I have to leave the app and launch the game. So, again, what exactly did you do for me? So, it looks like I have a subscription to cancel next month. But I still love the controller!

Great device. I recommend it to anybody who love streaming and gaming on the go the only thing that I was state about this device is the lack of connection either with Wi-Fi or not with Wi-Fi this controller should be compatible to whatever data you’re trying to use one of the flaws that I really have a problem with if the connection is bad it states that on your Wi-Fi connection on the screen while you’re playing the game and it comes on randomly I will say that is one of the flaws that I do not like other than that if they can fix that problem to make the controller stronger with ever you’re using you can use this to stream while on vacation in the long car ride whatever you decide this will change the world of gaming and streaming

Exceptional app… Too expensive. With my purchase of the Backbone, I got three months of the service for free. From the reviews I have seen online users used to get one year of the service for free and original Acers of the Backbone got the service for free indefinitely. I’ve only used the Backbone for a few days, but I can already tell it’s a must have accessory. But the developers need to realize that their service provides no new actual content for players, and is just an extra subscription on top of the other subscriptions that players are already paying to get their games. I have to imagine that there is not much of a market for the current price point.

Unable to verify purchase, App not useable.. Since PlayStation Remote play is no longer a working app the only way to play your backbone with your PlayStation is through the backbone app. Unfortunately the app developers didn’t actually finish their jobs, the VERIFY button is NOT selectable. Meaning you can’t even purchase if you want. So PS and backbone get together to drive backbone+ sales by making the PlayStation remote play app not functional and then they forgot to allows their website to allows users to make purchases. Honestly it’s just all way too much headache. I just have a feeling that this product has never worked and they are just pushing the get rid of these during the holidays. Remember kids, if it sounds to good to be true, it is. Just like the idea of playing video PS5 games on the go.

Could work better. i like using my backbone to play games on Xbox game pass. however, there are some persistent bugs that decrease the quality of my experience. sometimes when i click a game, it brings me to the game page but at the bottom, so i have to scroll all the way back up to see the game. also when i click into an xbox game that doesn't exist on game pass, it will bring me to xbox home without any error message so it's pretty confusing and a waste of time to keep trying to figure out why a game isn't loading. there are also games that show up on the backbone homepage xbox section that are not actually in the xbox section or playable. i have also wanted to pin a game to my recently played by pressing the backbone button but there is no notification or indication that the game has been added. all these little issues add up to worsen my overall experience. if the backbone team spent time to really polish it up, i would give this 5 stars. as of now, i like it and it works ~80% of the time but it's a bit frustrating to use

The hardware is awesome, software not so much. Still a good purchase.. The Backbone device works well, using it with your iPhone AND iPad is a plus and when it works right it’s amazing. But that’s when it works right, lately the thing freaks out when I plug it into the iPad, so I don’t use that anymore, and every game that has ever been opened on my backbone is now always there, every game my daughter ever tapped or a game that I tapped on is auto added and you can’t delete it or clear it or remove it from the app. There are instructions on how to do this but they don’t work, so be sure you always want whatever game to be on the app cause it’s gonna be there for a while, oh and your get to pay for it, the app that is. $100 for the controller and then a sub? At least Polish it up, allow us to remove a game from the app from within the app! Not go through the App Store, with app open, then remove app and tap again then maybe it goes away, cmon. And fix the iPad issue where the joy sticks freak out like they are stuck spamming all around.

Bait and switch. The app can’t be used after trial. Developer claims Backbone+ is optional HOWEVER it was NOT advertised that all the features in the app like screen recordings, multiplayer community and having a nice UI was going to back locked behind a paywall. You don’t find out about this paywall until you setup your account. New users are given a 1yr free trial (like that is suppose to make up for it). Truth is you can use the controller without the app but lose out on all extra features you thought you were paying $99 for with the expensive controller. Now you have to pay $50 A YEAR to keep that stuff. This is classic bait and switch. I’m hear to warn you to avoid the app and subscription. Update: My complaint is that Backbone+ is not advertised and is misleading. I deleted the app and will not pay $50 a year for your service. I recommend you start advertising that all the extra features are only included with Backbone + instead of blindsiding your customers.

Great concept, but ya still need every system. The good; amazing concept. The control is beautifully designed, doesn't feel alien in my hands, and ACTUALLY lets you play games in the App Store. It also charges your phone while charging itself if you have it plugged up. This ACTUALLY DOES WORK. I loved this idea. Now, the bad; I had to sell my PS5, my Xbox Series X and my custom PC to pay for my move back home. As a parting gift, my roommate bought me this to make me happy after seeing how upset I was. After getting it started, I find out that it still requires me to have all 3 systems in order to play. Now my roommate is upset, I’m about to cry because I got so excited, now this good bye present she got me has turned into something sad. Ik this sounds extreme and childish, but she was really excited to see me open it and play it. I wish your device was able to just access my accounts when I log in and let me stream play like all the systems give the option for now. You’re device should be a cheap option for those who don’t have and/or can’t afford these newer systems instead of requiring us to literally spend over $1,000 for the 3 different systems.

Total rip-off - trash company. $50 a year for a game launching UI is absurd. Yes you can use the controller without the app, as they will tell you over and over again as if that means anything regarding the app itself. Yeah there are extra features with it, half of which are marketing gimmicks. But if they had any real confidence in those extra gimmicks, or any business integrity, they’d make the backbone UI experience free or much cheaper and the streaming and their own social media platform access would be premium upgrade features. If you get your free 1 year, be sure to cancel the subscription immediately. You still get your free year and then you don’t have to get scammed for half the price of the controller because you forgot about it. This is a greedy company with a “smile and tell you to go screw yourself” approach to customer concerns over anti-consumer practices. It’s all the joy of predatory mobile gaming in-app purchase practices now attached to your hardware as well. Hopefully the company will change this greedy anti-consumer approach before ripping people off late this year when those 1 year+ subs start hitting people’s accounts.

Love and hate. Love it when it works! Great device when it works! No latency at all when it works! I play mobile games competitively and for fun. I’ve bought 2 of these. First one, left triggers and left joystick just stopped working. Second one loses it’s connection in mid game. Worst thing when you have someone dead to rights and he smokes you cause your controller stops working. Tried to clean the ports but no help. iPhone doesn’t recognize the backbone. For the price you would think it would work flawlessly. 100 dollars isn’t cheap. I will say backbone has a great team and if they can fix the bugs I’d definitely buy again. For now I’m just gunna go back to triggers or see what kishi has.

Pros and cons after 1 week. So I’ve been playing on my backbone one we’re just under two weeks and these are pros and cons that I’ve noticed in my time using this on my iPhone 11 promax Pro-mostly immediate response, Great visibility and if you’re a COD mobile gamer This controller mixed with using The gyroscope aiming pretty much makes you unstoppable. Con-i’ve only had one button stick a few times, the analog sticks as well or fairly easy to move around; could definitely use more resistance and/or size options such as wider or higher. I would definitely suggest adding some form of a grip being the plastic can cause difficulties if you play for an extended time. Lastly there are zero back button options for those used to using scuff controller‘s or elite controllers on console. Overall, this controller definitely outranks most if not all other cell phone controller attachments that exist in my opinion For those who are used to specific controller styles this one more so represents the Xbox or Nintendo switch type which may take some getting used to.

Best Gaming App and Accessory in the App Store. First off let me say that the backbone controller that they sell is the best attachable controller that you can buy for any mobile device. The best part of getting this controller is that app though as it allows you to basically have a gaming console in your pocket at all times. The ability to have a unified place where all of your controller compatible games live along with the features to find groups, chat with friends, make parties and stream make it a must have for any mobile gamer. I seriously cannot recommend this product enough and would suggest anyone use it. My one piece of feedback would be to work on having native iPad support since a lot of games now work on both mobile and table, and since the controller supports it, having that same interface on a tablet would open up even more possibilities and grow the market for users. Keep up the amazing work backbone team!!!

🤔Backbone isn’t made by Apple?😯. I once bought another mobile gaming controller… it stopped working aft r a day of use… it cost 70+dollars, so I took it back and exchanged it for a new one… which also stopped working after only a day of use. I took it back as a return at that point. Since then I’ve just been patiently awaiting the day when I would finally have a mobile gaming controller that would be a worthy counterpart for the advancements being made to mobile gaming apps… and the day has come; at last. The Backbone is that counterpart.

I’m no have the best experience.. The reason I’m not having the best experience, is this I am not able to find or redeem the free game pass that’s supposed to have been given with the purchase of this backbone. It’s not in the package as far as I’m concerned I have seen it. So now I went ahead and purchase my own game pass and activated it on the website at Xbox, not that ive that the game pass don’t seem to work on this Iphone 8.I’m not able to get to speak to anyone at backbone to explain because there isn’t a number available to call. Yup so I need some assistance some how, how do I go about getting this thing to work so I could have a better experience with this thing here.

Wants to take pictures upon attaching to phone. I would have given this a 5 star rating easily a few weeks ago. Every good thing said about the Backbone controller I agree with however recently when attaching the controller the app launches the screen grab/record feature constantly! It’s so annoying that once I finally get it to stop I’m reluctant to disconnect because it takes so much time to get to work again! I’ve deleted the app but it then just constantly tells me that the app isn’t installed. This is incredibly annoying and aggravating when it kills time I could be playing. When it’s working it’s a phenomenal piece of hardware and easily worth the price but having to keep it attached to my phone in order to quickly play is inconvenient to say the least. Please help

Very aggravating. I would totally give this product a 5 star rating, I absolutely love the backbone... However, about 11 month into owning one, which was given to me from my girlfriend for Xmas, it started making random screenshots.. multiple times.. did some research, turned out it was somewhat of a common issue.. The company honored my warranty, sent a shipping label and I sent it off same day... it took a week to get there (from Chicago), a week to process my warranty claim, and another week to receive my replacement.. Everything worked swell up until last week, the backbone stopped working... right during gameplay.. it's some sort of connection issue... both my iPhone 14 Pro Max and the backbone app are updated.. Notified backbone again via their website and they gotten back to me via email... Demian, confirmed my name, account, shipping address, etc.. I sent the pictures of the backbone as requested... haven't heard from them since.. it's been almost 2 weeks now and still no resolution.. I suffer from PTSD and using the backbone actually helps me mentally.. If this gets resolved asap, I will remove my 1 star rating and give them a 5.. I understand that there's defects in products sometimes, but as long as the company can honor and stand by their product along with great customer service, I'm willing to be patient.. But it's almost 2 weeks and still nothing..

Great, but……. I’ve had my Backbone for quite a while now. I really enjoy playing on it. There is one issue that I am having at the moment though. I have the app on two different IPhones. One is the iPhone Xs Max that I only use on Wi-Fi (app and controller work flawlessly on it) that phone isn’t running the latest version of IOS or the app. My everyday phone, the iPhone 12 max pro is fully up to date along with the Backbone app, but the app will not open on this phone. Not by clicking the app or the button on the Backbone. It will not open with the phone in the controller or out of the controller. I am Backbone support is currently working with me to try to resolve this issue. I hope they can correct this. I don’t won’t to have to use this phone’s mobile hotspot just to play the Backbone on my other phone.

Good controller but.... Hello owners of the backbone controller, I’m here to ask you about the controller. This controller is amazing I can see how the app and the controller work together as a team and how can this app can make you do reunions with friends and such but the only problem is that I bought this controller online because it says that it should work on the iPhone 12 Pro Max but apparently, in the box it says that it only works until iPhone 11, and I figured that it works only for the app but not the games I have such as Call of duty mobile and Genshin impact I Hope you read this message Thank you

Controller works good when it doesn’t disconnect. I had the Razer Kishi controller for my phone that was given to me as a gift. I have always wanted a Backbone for my iPhone 13 Max Pro because I’ve heard good things. Unfortunately after biting the bullet and getting one I have had connectivity issues. Backbone suggests to make sure the phones software is up to date as well as the Backbone app… Both have ALWAYS been up to date, Yet here I am trying to stream COD Mobile and I finally gave up streaming. The Backbone keeps disconnecting and I have to completely remove my phone from the controller and put it back in to the connection. I would have gave it a 2.5 ⭐️ rating if I could… Unfortunately we are going to have to wait for somebody else to push the limits and get the gamers something reliable. Nobody likes to see there character freeze in the middle of a gun fight just to get humiliated and angry at the same time. Hopefully this helps people like me who relieves stress from there life by escaping into a good game, whatever that game may be!!

Great but room for improvement. I’m praying that another controller will be released with a flexible connector that allows phone cases because having to take the case off every time is almost a complete dealbreaker. I’d love to see a customizable feed on the app so I could get rid of all the news about games I have absolutely zero interest in, as well as a way to view more backbone players that play the same games because I don’t know anyone else with a backbone currently. Also a way in the app settings to be able to have the app automatically close when you exit it if possible so that after playing multiple games I don’t have a bunch of apps open at once. Other than that the controller and app are amazing and by far my favorite.

Is This Real Life?. Absolutely PHENOMENAL! Controller feels very high quality in the hand, button are clicky and responsive. I usually hate using any app for a Bluetooth device, but the Backbone app is extremely well executed! Has a Nintendo like feel to it. There is a bit of an adjustment coming from an Xbox controller (for me anyway). Had to make some major adjustments to sensitivity, and my aiming is still sometimes all over the place in CODm. But that’s just a learning curve for me, no fault of the amazing Backbone controller. If you’re even considering this, get on the wait list NOW, and buy is as soon as you can! You won’t regret it!

Great job!. I’ve had this controller for a little over a week and I’m THROUGHLY impressed! The price point is a bit high, but somewhat worth it. MILES ahead of any mobile gaming controller competitors. My only request is that somewhere in the foreseeable future I ask, BEG and PLEAD!!! That a parallel analog stick version be produced. All of us gamers are not accustomed to the “XBOX; Ninetendo Switch” analog style controls and it’s a bit uncomfortable for us larger handed fellows. Overall a great experience. Love the ability to really be able enjoy remote play and also be competitive at the same time. Again, though, the parallel analog stick or “remixed” version would be GREATLY appreciated!

Family fun. Wow, I’m not going to lie I didn’t have hope for the backbone it seemed like every other knock off sponsored controller. Until I actually got two for family fun night, and it really did take on the number one lead of a controller specially as a portable. We actually raided it 10/10 to be honest off that scale an let me say kids na a day are very picky about their devices. All I seen were smiles and let’s play some more the only thing we didn’t like was you had to remove your phone case in order to play. Now the company needs to get on it to allow your phone case not to get in the way of playing an it would be the greatest to play topping #1 for the next five years until we get hit with something better that is. I really do enjoy this product this is definitely going to be Christmas gifts 👏🏾👏🏾👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾!!

UPDATED Review. My Backbone controller (that I live on) recently died out of the blue, and was incessantly blitzing me with pop ups to install this app in the middle of battle and launching the App Store without permission, as well as the in-game chat interface. Meanwhile two of the buttons died (one I never even used- it was discovered when I tried to install this app in a failed attempt to shut up the pop ups). I contacted their customer support to see if we could troubleshoot what was happening, and they’ve incredibly offered to replace my controller even though it’s out of warranty! I’m deeply grateful. I still won’t use this app though, there’s no reason for it for me. I only play Genshin Impact, and I don’t livestream. The stars are actually for the controller, not the app. 😅 (one star off for the buttons being a bit stiff and the plastic is somewhat brittle and prone to cracking and shattering, but I definitely got my money’s worth and serious mileage from it!)

Best thing ever created!!! Take’s phone gaming to a whole new level!!!. Gaming on my phone hasn’t been same sense? I got it & I’d rather play this, then my PlayStation. The graphics on your phone if you have a iPhone 12 or newer with a Backbone are just incredible. Surreal it is a whole new experience and it is definitely worth the price, the only thing they need to do is make accessory’s to protect the Backbone and your. And for people who are elite at certain games should get invited to competition stuff. They should make a whole new tournament for gaming with a Backbone. Give people a chance to win tournaments, maybe prizes or even MONEY.

Awesome Greatness Awaits. This app is awesome. I have a iPad Pro 12.9 inch screen I end up squeezing my iPad Pro inside of the controller to activate the Backbone controller and it works flawlessly once I connected it I was able to take the controller off and then use the Backbone app with a PS4 wireless controller to play all my games on the go best app ever. Maybe in the future they will make the app universal or able to login with any device and not just have to start it up with the controller… but other than that it’s perfect my phone hasn’t been out the controller since. *Mr*Poetic*Justice* ™

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Accessories please?. I received my backbone about a month and a half before Christmas, to say the least it’s a very functional controller and does what it is supposed to do. 100% recommended product. I would like to see a phone locating bumper which holds the phone(top end) more securely as my phone does move ever so slightly in the controller which causes momentary disconnection. Being I like my shooter game’s running high sensitivity I prefer longer thumb-sticks for the minor movements. The Short throw thumb-sticks on the controller are very good but maybe a genuine thumb-stick riser add on would help dramatically! Nintendo switch stick extenders fit but bump on the controller body reducing the overall thumb-sticks throw just enough to hinder gameplay. Hopefully in the future there may be some genuine long L1/L2 triggers more for a comfort aspect that would become something that can be purchased alongside with controller grips. All very picky yes but as an overall concept to market these are and incredible add on to mobile gaming!!! Job well done on fit and finish!

GREAT PRODUCT. This product turns my mobile into a Switch or PSP type console. Really great for only $180

This needs grand theft auto online. This platform would be great with grand theft auto online and some more of the nba games ps keep up the good work💯💯

Needs a subscription. It’s a good UI but to be able to use it’s features it requires an annual fee. Better off with a standard Xbox controller and clip.

Quality product!. Love the app and controller, feels high quality and works well. Only issue is I have the PlayStation backbone controller but it still displays the buttons on iPhone games as Xbox buttons (A X Y B) rather than PlayStation buttons. Hoping will be fixed in an update.

Back bone review. I really enjoy this app it puts all the games you play in a row from latest played to Gerry last game you played

God. Good

Backbone. Busy life style, very good and convenient

Press X to continue. So I bought this for my phone and been going good until the adaptor phone part will only work if it’s jammed in and slightly on a angle which I can’t play so I decided to hook it up to my IPad and I won’t let me pass the press X to continue page

Amazing🥰❤️❤️❤️. These consoles are SO fun and the company is truly spectacular, definitely recommend

Hardware features locked behind subscription. A subscription is required to use the dedicated screen recording button or the plug and play feature that are advertised as being included tech specs on the website. They give you one year free, but the cost of the subscription is roughly 50% of the controller itself, meaning you either end up paying more in 2.5 years than the hardware itself just to use the hardware you own, or you have a button that doesn’t do as advertised and need to carry two controllers to play on iPhone and iPad. Do yourself a favour and look into their competitors that are offering the same features with no subscription.

Warning do not download this app.. This app is not needed to use the device. The app locks you out until you give your phone number & email address. This app only exists to get your contact details so they can spam you and sell your phone number to sales people. Straight away they send you 5 emails. Just use your backbone without the app.

Wait list is the only problem. the wait list is gona piss off some people just because your place in the wait list is high and if it moves you down from it, its only a little bit like everyday i check my place and i only moved bout like 50-100 and im in the 12k of people waiting so me to even get a CHANCE to buy one is like once in a blue moon..... Just stupid Asf

Playstation backbone. My backbone just stays on load

Backbone. Very glitchy. Works but would not recommend

The Best!. Best way to play games on your phone hands down, I use it more than my pc and console

Needs improvement. Not a bad app tbh the subscription fee is expensive but the app has tons of functionality. The only issue is the fact that you can’t remove Xbox Cloud games from the top row how extremely annoying! Would be nice to see a subscription fee that is more reasonable as well.

Terrible. App wont let me even get to the interface and keeps asking me to alter my in app purchase settings to allow a subscription to backbone +. My settings are already in this configuration but it will not progress any further. Cant use it at all

Want to use it on your computer? Pay extra!. The app is great, but as others have said it’s really bad that hardware features are behind a paywall. The ability to use the backbone one with the computer to use remote play? Behind a paywall. Want to use it to play on your iPad through a usb cable? Pay up! If I had known, I would not have bought it and would have bought a regular dual sense controller. Very disappointed because this was not clear before buying.

I want it🥺🥺🥺. I’m giving you a 5 star so please give me the controller for free 🥺🥺🥺

iPhone to switch-a-like. Was gonna buy a Nintendo switch till I got backbone app and controller. Now my iPhone 13 Pro has become my handheld console. Would be 5 star if it wasn’t for the $60 a year (Australian dollar) paywall for backbone+. At least make it $30 to compete with 1 year switch online subscription then we’re talking 5 star handheld iPhone “console” gaming

Not impressed.. Bought my backbone one controller, I launch the app and expects me to pay yearly! What a waste of money

Not connecting. Just a heads up in case you guys are not aware, the backbone does not connect/ work on ios16.5 beta on iPhone 14 pro max. Would love this functionality as I need the beta versions on my phone for the work I do.

Play anywhere not working…. Have a subscription but the play anywhere feature does not work… continually reverts to disabled even following a factory reset of the controller, signing out of the app and reinstalling the app… disappointing

Insanely overpriced subscription. This controller is advertised as having a terrific app to go with it. No mention of the insanely overpriced subscription. If I’d known I would not have bought this controller. At least give a free version for us who just use it as a games browser. But really, it should be $5 a year not this enormous price. In a few short years the app will have cost more than the controller. Edit to respond to developers: Yes I understand that your controller will work without the app. However your site and advertising clearly uses backbone+ app as a major selling point. However it does not disclose that it will cost this enormous subscription fee. The only mention is hidden way down the bottom of a page, inside a FAQ, and that doesn’t even disclose this ridiculously high price. It’s misleading advertising and everyone should be made aware that in merely 3 years of subscription using the app will cost more than the device. It’s a key part of the advertised backbone experience. It’s not fair to then hit us for this subscription, especially for those of us who don’t use 90% of the features and just want to use the games browser functions. It’s particularly galling that previous purchasers aren’t charged the subscription. Though new buyers aren’t told of the subscription fee.

Can’t change Play on any screen setting?. It’s all in the subject. The Play On Any Screen option is stuck on Universal. Tapping this option starts joystick calibration instead of the screen selections. Please fix this!

Cam Thomas. I Love this device. I have a large phone so it’s great for gaming and killing some hours.

This controller are totally trash. Lot of game can’t play with this trash controller wasting money! You’ll regret buy it

iPad. I just recently received a backbone one as a gift and it works flawlessly on my iPhone, I’m trying to set it up on my iPad so I can play it on a bigger screen and for some reason i cannot finish the set up on it, I get to the final page where it says to press the backbone button to open the app and when I press it, it will close it but won’t reopen it, the button is somehow mapped to open the Game Center app. With no way to re map or choose an alternative selection I’m a bit frustrated. I’ve tried everything to try resolve this to the best of my ability but no luck, I hope there can be a fix for this

Subscription page. When I got to the page where it said “Your good to go, press the Orange button to continue” but it took me to the subscription page and I can’t get out of. I GOT THIS JUST TO PLAY GAMES NOT TO STAY ON A SUBSCRIPTION PAGE THAT IM NOT GOING TO PAY. Can the developer of the app fix this by pressing a button to decline that offer and move on with playing cause that’ll help, thank you

CORE Recommended. Absolutely amazing controller! Heard about it on the Core podcast and they weren’t wrong!

Product returned, egregious subscription model!. Having just bought the controller I was shocked to see a $79.99AUD annual membership price to use the app. It comes with a 1 year trial, but to charge for features when competitors do not is a greedy move that will surely lose a lot of customers. Early adopters got a lifetime membership for free, so instead of welcoming new people into the ecosystem, they instead erected a disgusting paywall. Though you don’t need the app to use the controller, without a membership you can’t use it as a wired PC, Mac or iPad controller either. Refund for the controller has been organised. Stay away from this product and instead look at other competitors who aren’t this greedy. I will stick to using a Dualsense controller, as the limited convenience of a launcher does not wash away the bad taste in my mouth.

Won’t restore my purchase. I made an account ages ago, and now have decide to use the backbone account again. So I paid for the yearly subscription and now it’s still stuck in the “Set-Up” page and not letting me move past it. Quite disappointed as it’s basically took my money but not letting me have access to what I’m entitled to. Will be requesting Apple for a refund.

Great controller, terrible app and monetisation. The controller is top notch but the app is chock full of ads. The premium annual subscription is wildly expensive. I recommend the controller but I give a “strong avoid” to the app and service.

New and can’t login. Can’t get passed creating display name. Clearly a bug from before has returned. Disappointed.

Phenomenal. Honestly one of the beat packages of an app and device, easy to use simple setup , app layout is fantastic seamless switch between ps5 xbox and mobile games just perfect for my experince The playstation backbone control is just a fantastic piece of equipment , colours and quality build all is premium even the adapter for the iPhone13 max works and fits perfect Cannot fault , Sony needs to update the remote play app to work better as this setup shows its flaws such as menu lay out and screen size, as this controller is endorsed by sony they should update the app around this decice

Glad I bought this on impulse. Honestly I saw the backbone one controller in a Target and thought it looked cool and would be helpful to play games while on my commute to work. It’s a really good controller and makes playing cloud games from platforms like Xbox Cloud and Nvidia Geforce Now easier and allow you to really see the full visuals without your thumbs getting in the way.

Great!. Backbone is a very comfortable controller, kind of feels like your holding a Nintendo Switch. The App is also great for launching your controller games, finding more games with controller support, and connecting with friends. Highly recommend! 👍👍

Disappointing greed!. The Backbone controller is advertised as a unique controller, one that has an intelligent app that separates it from the rest. The app acts as the brains for the Backbone controller, allowing it to shine with truly unique features. Now imagine if you will, that the company decides to add an “optional” subscription service. Understandable, with the features that the controller uses through the app, it’s no surprise that they may need a subscription service to help keep the app running. Now imagine, that not only does this “optional” subscription cost a substantial amount, but is mandatory to use the app AT ALL. Yes, you read that correctly. The app that acts as the entire brains of the controller is not accessible in any way, shape or form without a subscription. This means that everything that makes this controller different to the other “switch like” iPhone controllers, is entirely taken away once the “free” 1 year subscription ends. Leaving you with a brainless $180 AUD controller. It’s core advertised features are held hostage behind an “optional” recurring fee. No, you cannot use the controller with your computer over USB or with your iPad. Yes, it can still play games. So yes, it technically still functions as a controller. Just one without any of its core advertised unique features. So if you happen to read this before buying a Backbone controller, I strongly recommend DO NOT BUY. Now I’m confident this review will get a developer response, with a cut-and-paste response that you’ll see in the other replies to the reviews from others who discovered this as well. Nothing they say in the response will excuse pay-walling the whole app in its entirety. At the VERY LEAST the game launcher functions of the app should be available for free users. Put streaming features and whatnot behind the “optional” paywall if you must, but there’s no reasonable excuse to completely block every single feature, for a $180 AUD controller.

Privacy, security, subscription issues. The app first asked you to log in your Apple ID or google account. Then it asks you to verify you are human by giving them your mobile number. I turned off the app and deleted it. There shouldn’t be any circumstances where requiring our personal mobile number is justified, esp after we already logged in using Apple ID or google. If you think privacy isn’t an issue here, all I did was ATTEMPT to log in using my Apple ID or Gmail, after not verifying with SMS, one would think my sign in was unsuccessful, end of story. Next thing I know I get an email from Backbone. I didn’t authorise Backbone to contact me, I didn’t even successfully sign in, yet here we are, my email on the next call Center junk mail database sold to the highest bidder. Then there is the subscription cost I have heard about. I know I should get 1 ur free, but having decided not to go through with giving to you my mobile, the rest is moot. Nintendo membership gives free retro games and benefits. PS a plus gives free games library, game pass and Apple Arcade gives free games… what is backbone offering to justify an exorbitant subscription cost? News? Comical but no thanks. I’ll use the controller as is… I really wish the PS version actually had a ps home button… and the thumb sticks weren’t offset…. Are you going to paint the controller neon (red blue) and release a lazy switch version next? Edit: your response to holding down the backbone button for .5 sec will be recognised as the PS button. I would like to clarify this misinformation as holding it down gives an Apple pop up saying the app is not installed. So that function clearly requires the app which which hawks for your personal information

Not worth paying for. Shouldn’t be charged to use the app The backbone device is expensive already

exceptional device for remote play. love using it for ps remote play

Why the subscription?. I love the backbone controller but the app is pretty weak. There’s a $70 subscription (which you get the first year as part of the purchase of the backbone) which doesn’t seem to do much. I’ve read that it gives you the option to use the controller on other devices which seems like a rip. Seems like the typical greed system of freemium subscription paywall apps that flood mobile phone market places. Please correct me if I’m wrong.. But what exactly do I get that’s actually worth that price tag? I understand developers need to pay their staff and subscription models mean they can keep on paying them.. But come on… it’s just not needed. I’d gladly pay a once off fee.. or even a tip.. but given that nearly 90% of apps and games on phones are subscription based it’s time for this $&!? To stop. Again I want to say the controller is great (even if the extender attachment for bigger phones is made of material that causes birth defects) But come on guys.. you have my 170 bucks for that.. give me the option to use it on other things without this subscription bs.

An Odd Experience. UPDATE: The generic response of the app being optional doesn’t change the fact that the app’s subscription cost is too high and unreasonable. “Pouring love” into the app does not means it’s free from scrutiny. Even if you want to claim that BackBone+ is objectively a good app, the pricing model makes little to no sense. Also, the argument that the controller is 100% usable without the app, makes the price of the subscription even more questionable… The controller is good, an 8/10 on its own. The subscription cost to use the app is unreasonable to say the least, so the experience is overall 4/10. Yes, the controller can be used without the app, but the app is part of the package being sold to you and i would lying if I said the app isn’t nice. The problem is, it can feel like a scam, as I do not believe there is value for money here at all. The app should be free considering it is a glorified menu for a pricey controller to begin with, or worst case, permanent access for what is currently being charged as a yearly subscription. (No one cares about the “rewards”, just get rid of them). Also, poor implementation of the PlayStation Edition, as every game just recognises the Backbone One like an Xbox controller, so all button prompts are presented with the Xbox layout (A, B, X, Y).

Needs key mapper overlay. I’ve been using backbone one for two years now. What an awesome product and app. Only down side is the games that don’t have controller support. The left and right stick may work for walking around or moving but no buttons work at all. Would be good to see a key mapper overlay where you can assign a controller button to a touchscreen button. There are so many games out there that would be perfect with a controller but don’t support them. So would be awesome if you could just add your our support of one. Thanks

Entire app is now paywalled. The controller is excellent, I’m happy I purchased it. I also like the app, but the subscription is far too expensive. I cannot see $75AUD / year worth of value in the app and am disappointed to say that I will not be using it after the first year has run out. I would like to see a free tier that at least let’s you use the game launcher as this was a selling point of the controller, and leave the more premium online features behind a more reasonable paywall.

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So dumb. I have this but it don’t work even if I was the remotes what going on this is bad app 0 stars

Company doesn’t respond to help requests. Tried reaching out multiple times and never got a response —my backbone app keeps asking me to setup game services/connect them, I follow the instructions and then it asks me every time. Which makes the app useless to me. The main issue? I asked for help and never heard back.

Doesn’t support PS Controller UI layout.. Just brought BB PS edition, I don’t wanna even start talking about subscription…but guys, its a PLAY STATION edition why some games like “Genshin Impact” doesn’t have a PS controller UI in game, instead its Xbox UI. I don’t have that issue when I connect my dualshock controller, so obviously is an issue on your side. Do better, especially if you wanna charge extra for subscription.

An excellent companion app to the hardware but far too pricey. This app works very well but it’s essentially just a launcher for your content. As someone who uses the Backbone predominantly for PlayStation 5 remote play, there’s really no reason I can’t just access the remote play app directly. The same goes for any iOS games or Apple Arcade games that I have installed on my phone. Yes, the Backbone launcher is well-made and has a slick interface, but in no way shape or form is it worth $70 CAD per year. I would maybe consider it for $10 a year, or even a $20 flat rate to purchase it out right. As it is however, I have already set a reminder to unsubscribe once the free year is up. Props to the developers for designing a well-made app, but unless they offer significantly more value, I will be cancelling.

A Matter of Integrity. The Backbone One controller boasts an undeniably beautiful design and comes in equally impressive packaging. However, I believe it’s priced significantly higher than its market value, which made me hesitant to purchase it. While the companion app is a decent addition, its functionality is somewhat limited. For my controller version, the ‘Quick Launch’ button is restricted to the choice of either doing nothing or launching Playstation Remote Play, you can’t even choose anything else for that button, which is rather restrictive. I found the included 3-month Apple Arcade trial useless to me, as I already have an Apple One subscription. Moreover, the arcade games didn’t appeal to me, and other options before Now, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, Luna, Steam Link, and Apple Store games require additional purchases or subscriptions. A significant issue I am disgusted by is the misleading advertising regarding the Backbone One Controller. Essential functionalities like the unified game hub and the ability to record gameplay, which are key selling points of the controller, are only accessible with a Backbone+ subscription. This fact is not transparently communicated; nowhere in their advertisements or on their website is it clearly stated that these features require an ongoing $40/year subscription. The lack of upfront disclosure about the necessity and cost of Backbone+ for full feature access is a major drawback. This lack of transparency and the necessity of an ongoing payment for full functionality have considerably dampened my enthusiasm for the controller. Despite its merits, the company’s approach feels more driven by profit than customer experience. My advice? Consider more affordable alternatives. Regrettably, I find myself leaning towards returning the controller and its accessories, despite initially wanting to like it. Sad.

Paying a monthly fee is absurd. I will probably be returning my controller. How can you expect me to pay 140$ for a controller and then ask me to pay 6$ a month to use this app. What a garbage idea.

SMS only Account Verification for a Controller?!. In order to use the app you have to create an account, but they only allow account verification using SMS. The developer should provide other means of verification. The app used to work without verification, but at some point they introduced SMS verification and I have not logged in since. There is no good reason why I should have to provide my phone number just to be able to configure my hardware. I purchased the controller when it was first launched, before all the subscription nonsense. I have no interest in using it for social media. I just wanted a controller for my iPhone.

Subscription required after one year. Be prepared to shell out money to use the software. I do believe it’s $50 after the first year.I returned mine because I didn’t want to pay more for the subscription than I paid for the hardware. The website doesn’t make it clear a subscription will be required after one year.

I fukn love this thing. So awesome reall though

There’s a catch. You need a credit card to use the backbone one app. Expect yearly payments just to use the app so it like a ps+ nso subscription

Very fun but. Can you please ad five night at Freddy’s security breach to the PlayStation game catalog

Error in setup. I’m unable to sign in on any device. I’m getting a “service error”. Please help !

Great, love it. I have the Backbone One. This app is very helpful and fun to use when you're not at home, the compatibility with PS remote play is excellent and i imagine that it works great with Xbox too. A yearly subscription is required for the extra features but works fine without it. The only reason i did not rate 5 stars is because of its free adapter, the adapter it for iPhone 13 and up but it simply does not work when you have a camera protecter or a phone case, i was not too upset about the phone case because it is easily removable but the camera protecter is stuck which i find ridiculous, i hope in later versions of this product there is changes for this.

Need more freedom for games. Hi I’m letting you know the app is great but when I play the games on my phone with it some of the games are upside down or don’t work please make another model put the plug in for my phone is on the left. Please fix this

I’m not paying a yearly fee to use something I own. When purchasing this controller nowhere did it say it was mandatory to pay a yearly fee to use it, yet you cannot complete set up with the app without agreeing to a year free trial which is then $64 a year after that. Then it doesn’t even fit with the iPhone 13 Pro Max so they say they have a “free” adapter, yet it says $10 for shipping when I just paid $139 for this controller. I don’t think so. Returned it to Amazon.

Backbone. Awesome product best in the world

Free. Make all game free for today

It’s going to be epic. At first I was extremely disappointed it took me hours and a lot of wasted money to finally get my Xbox game cloud going. I thought ps had a cloud too but 60 dollars later I found out I couldn’t. Once I figured it out I’m happy with it

Very nice.. Very nice quality app however I would like to see options to controller what is presented for a more minimal look.

Need to subscribe to complete setup?. Deleted and returned device. I get that you go can cancel your subscription before the free trial ends, but this tactic still feels scammy. And when I used the device to remote play my PS5 I couldn’t even read the text. Good idea. Botched implementation.

Pretty decent. The controller is pretty decent some of the buttons squeak a lot I love that D pad the only problem I have with the software is sometimes when I press the Backbone button and when it switches over to the app it doesn’t loan and second the app is way too glitchy

Very nice. k

Horrible app. The controller is excellent, but the app is terrible. Moreover, the subscription model seems illogical since we are purchasing the product itself, not a membership just for browsing games. I was planning to recommend this to my friends, but with the app eliminating any form of free access, I will inform all my friends who were interested in buying the product to search for a more satisfactory and transparent alternative. While a one-time purchase might be reasonable, I find it overly greedy to request payment for a service that merely lists available games without offering any additional functionality.

Pretty much just a scam. This app requests you install it after buying a >$100 game controller and connecting it to your phone. It then *requires* you to agree to an annual recurring subscription and puts you on an advertising mailing list with no visible opt-out. This likely violates Apples developer TOS. Stay away!

Annoying app pushing ads. I had to stop notifications from Backbone. The amount of ads their pushing through the app and email are becoming absurd. We get it… you’re focused on our wallets.

It’s the best. The best mobile device ever

Its worth it.. Get it if you play games on many platforms.

Why. If your not rich dont play its a ripoff We cant buy$69.99 a year none of is can afford that

Don’t listen to the others about the “mandatory” subscription. You can 100% use the controller without paying the sub. The sub is for backbone+ which you absolutely do not need in order to use the controller with your phone.

Is this a joke?. Paid full price for hardware and now I have to pay a subscription?! LOL, you guys are mad! Retuning all of it.

App crashing. I try and open the backbone app and it just shuts off. With the backbone controller, even when I press the orange button, it doesn’t do anything otherwise I rate the platform

Limited Functionality; insanely disappointing. To be clear, this is not the place for nor a review of the hardware Backbone makes. That physical hardware is great. This review is of the app. And the app is really disappointing, particularly in contrast to the excellent hardware. As of right now the app does nothing minus essential hardware functions such as calibration or firmware updates. The promise of this app, to find actually great apps to play on mobile, is not there; all that is is a wildly inappropriately priced subscription. $40 (in my country) a year, to access… screen recording? … friend list of all the no one who owns mobile gaming hardware? … to see things the App Store shows me already? Listen. $3 a month or so, it’s not a ton. But the fact the hardware has a button that triggers an app that does nothing useful; well that is insanely disappointing.

Wish you could delete apps…. This is a great controller and a great app. But I just wish there was a way to delete apps off the home page

BackBone. I can honestly say that this was a great purchase, I can see myself using my backbone everyday! The only thing that sucks is the paid subscription but the first year is first so it’s not tooo bad! Would highly recommend the backbone to anybody that just loves mobile gaming as much as I do!

does not work. Randomly stopped working for no reason, reinstalling does nothing. Sub too expensive for what it is. I regret buying a Backbone.

Still not working. Only works when phone is in backwards, obviously can’t play on it. Tried emailing the company, but no replies after weeks. Great concept but this isn’t the right producer

Cant put payment information. When peomted to subscirbe i cant seem to push the done button or anything to accept my information and subscribe

Hey I need to talk. Great app and all but could you remove the paywall and let us use basic features like apps and maybe 720p recording? But being able to use the app without paying would be awesome I bought one for the app stuff so kinda frustrating. Please remove the paywall.

Love the App, though I’ve have a bug. Just got the controller today, Love the idea of having one place for all my games and gaming subscriptions in one place, I’m recently on the go a lot for work, so being able to game with all my friends from my phone is great, the bug I mentioned is for the GeForce now games, it keeps taking me to a black screen, I sat for about 20 min and nothing happened, Just wondering if it’s an issue or if I just need to be patient and let it load?

Exceeded expectations. Wife got this for me for Christmas. I would have never thought to buy this for myself so it was a surprise. But I’m having a blast! I’m rocking my PS5 via remote play while at the in-laws. Works great. Backbone app is great too!

Amazing!. Just started using the app, and I love it!

I love Backbone. I love this app so much, It has all the games i love and can play for hours! I kind of wish they added mario kart to it as well i would def love to try it now that you can change the orientation of the screen on Mario Kart. Anyway if your thinking about getting it, do it! it’s worth the money.

Ahhh problem. Anyone ever have the problem of it not sending you a sms to verify phone number?? Every so often says no internet connection as well.

Connection issues. Connection issues. Controller consistently not connecting and have to remove phone and reconnect before playing. Games that are listed as supported aren’t working right away. See earlier fix.

Bad. I can’t play game cuz i need a subscription. And every time I try to connect the backbone controller it says. No CoNTroLlER cOnnEcTeD

Great app. Such a great app, meets mobile gaming standards and some. Only mobile attachment I know to be this fluent.

Forced update. I’m currently traveling and now all I get is “(A) Update App” on the screen and the app is useless as it won’t let me update where I am, so what am I paying for exactly? An app that is useless.

Awesome. Made of awesomeness

need to pay more to play on any screen. need to pay extra for the annual subscription to play on any screen is not nice, i've already paid for the controller, but you ask for more money to simply play on other screens?

Subscription needed to use. After paying A LOT of money to get this hardware, I was excited to be able to play games on the go. Unfortunately after the free trial ran out, the app just locks out out of everything with just the option to renew your subscription. When I buy console, I expect to be able to use it after I buy it. This is now the most expensive paperweight I own. As for the ‘free’ games they offer on their website, I did not buy it to play their games. I bought it to play mine. I guess I’ll have to wait until another company figures this kind of console out without trying to squeeze their customers wallets

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It’s ok. Cons: Ergonomics are like a Nintendo Switch (same orientation, skinny profile, tight positioning of fingers on triggers, etc). Thumb sticks are low profile with small range of motion, and the springs are mega light, so in a game like Warframe, you’re aiming will be all over the place. I added a thumb stick extender (the taller one), and it helped a little, but you’ll have to adjust sensitivity on your games to not get overly frustrated. A bit miffed over the change to a paid subscription service of $50/year without any real value. I just bought the backbone and saw it was grandfathered for anyone who had it before November 2021. I’m going to play around with it during the free trial period, but I don’t see myself keeping it considering the game library access I have in game pass… assuming the rest of the controller still works like it should after the subscription ends. Pros: it works. I haven’t tried much of the functions outside of using my Xbox app to remote play on my Xbox from another room. It works, but the ergonomics are killing me.

Not intuitive, shouldn’t have paywall. If you’re using the controller only on your phone, and you don’t care about using this app, it’s fine. But the fact that you have to pay to use certain features of the controller is ridiculous. If you do decide to pay, and want to use the app on your iPad with the controller (which requires a cable to connect them and the app to enable this feature) you can’t even get past the forced handholding prompts the app forces you to do. My iPad doesn’t recognize the screen share button, or the backbone button, so I can’t even get into the main app screen. Very disappointed in what seemed to be a well made accessory.

I love the controller but the app is completely unnecessary.. You don’t need this app to use the controller. The app is just another subscription that is unnecessary, I can play through my ps or Xbox or just mobile games without paying for this service. I do t need a app just to open another app. I don’t need all the extra benefits from the app so why pay for it? I wish this app was just a place to recommend and find games that are supported with the controller for free. They should spend there money on trying to get more apps to support controllers instead of paying people to make this app. Again I absolutely love the controller but the app seems like a total waist.

Stuck on title screen. Super frustrating. Spent a hundred dollars on this thing just for it to not fit my iphone when it has the thinnest case on it and for the app to get stuck on the “press A to continue” button when I have the PS controller so there is no A button, but none of the buttons work anyway even when I press literally all of them. I looked on Reddit and a ton of people are having the same exact issue. Overall this feels super convoluted for no reason. I just can’t believe I can’t get past the homepage of the app. I bought it, it’s plugged into my phone, remote play is working on my iPhone — but the easiest part of this setup is completely broken.

Great device/app. If only Xbox had more playable games and there wasn’t a bug when if I play my controller doesn’t work sometimes for some reason, and I would like to be able to play games that I own on my console that would be cool too. But other than one of the best things my girlfriend has gotten and one of the best things I have use when I don’t I’ve really far or when I want to get a few games in while I’m away from home

GREAT… but. The backbone 1 is a great gaming device but there are two things that I think should be improved in the future (1) The backbone can’t fit a phone along with its case there should be an accessory that lets the backbone fit your phones case ( I don’t know if there already is ) (2) The backbone is all about playing PlayStation and Xbox games portably but most phones don’t have the availability needed to play these games with out glitches on your phone screen. I wish the backbone 1 gives your phone more data to use while it’s attached to your phone. (Sorry if this review has bad grammar) Maybe these features could be added in a possible backbone 2 model. Overall great device and perfect for travel. (I don’t know if you make backbone 1s or not but tell the people that did make them unless your the people that made them)

Great controller for remote play!. Also works well with controller supported apps for iPhone. Only complaint I really have with the app is the limited amount of customization options for Backbone+ subscribers. Dry much feels like a hard sales pitch for games that support the app and controller. Would like to be able to set custom lists of games I already own and play often that I can launch from the backbone app.

Best mobile gaming platform!. The Backbone One is the most amazing, intuitive, streamlined, ergonomic, handheld controller yet with the ability to improve your mobile gaming in a style that’s better than the Nintendo Switch! You can even play your favorite console game remotely and Backbone offers a large library of games designed for it as well! The dashboard is similar to that of Xbox One Home Screen to those familiar. Get the most out of your mobile games on the go and turn your phone in to a pocket sized console!

Only exists to steal data and money. It makes you sign in with Google or Apple, then makes you put in a phone number, then asks to access all of your photos, then all of your contacts, then does nothing—just tells you to pay them $40/year for…future firmware updates. I uninstalled and was able to play game pass. 🤷🏼‍♂️ Funniest thing happened, I created a new Google voice number because I didn’t trust these con artists, and about an hour later someone tried to use that number to sign up for Uber. Makes me want to break thing and return it, what a terrible company. Absolute losers.

It works good when it wants to work. i only bought this to play COD Mobile and ige enjoyed the game so far with the controller the main issue is that sometimes when launching the game while at the menu screen it says theres a controller connected but it doesnt let me do nothing with the controller it doesnt even be showing the controller options. Ive tried closing the app and disconnecting the controller and nothing works until later on at some point of the day it starts working again.

Missed my Expectations. The PlayStation version of backbone looks nice and feels nice in my hands. However, the device does not meet my expectations when it comes to playing games away from home. There are limited games (at least games I like) that I can actually play on the go. Or there are too much taken for updates to download or filtering to really enjoy some games like Call of Duty. The only games I like to play on it so far are some compatible racing games. Hopefully, game selection will improve. Note: I have Apple Arcade and PlayStation plus subscriptions. I will research other platforms for game selection.

I LOVE IT. I love this backbone so much I could use it at school at home at road trips and while traveling because it’s much easier and cheaper then the big consoles . Like it makes it harder to carry all the wires controllers and the ps5 or Xbox. But backbone got that. Backbone made a controller that you can take everywhere you go. It’s much easy. You can play all the games and text your friend though your phone all at once in your hand. BACKBONE YOUR THE BEST COMPANY EVER!!!

Ridiculous. Tries to sell you things the minute you plug it in. Bought this for my IPhone 15 Pro Max. They force you to install their App. The App tells me that there is a free adapter to make the device fit my phone but you cannot actually order it without purchasing something else from them because the $0 charge won’t go through on any credit card I have stored on Apple Pay. As soon as you have passed that hurdle, they start upselling you on their monthly subscription. Needless to say, I will be returning this. This is not an accessory but they are really trying to sell you a service.

App is meh. The app is good when u first get it but after the free trial time the app drops everything no game lists no friends every single thing is hiden behind a pay wall of 50 a month for basicly nothing that other gaming companys give u free and let u use even if u dont pay them but this company na wants money for any thing besides just controller re-configurations so basicly pointless bloat wear sad was a cool app but it being forced to use the backbone is lame and again just turns the app into forced bloat wear or pay them 50 a month for nothing no free games just a few basic things. Good controller but not a good forced app

Would be great but too many draw backs. So I really like the idea of this app I saw it on TikTok and thought it would be cool so I went ahead and bought it it was $100 so it wasn’t that bad but when I got it I had to download an app on my phone then I had to wait a very long time for it to load up and then I found out that you also have to pay $50 to subscribe And on top of that doesn’t even fit around my phone case so I have to completely take your phone case off in order to use it honestly I don’t think it’s worth the money that it is and I would really hope to see if they could make it fit around an OtterBox phone case or a bulky case

Why I love backbone. I just got backbone for Christmas and I love it ever since now I can play with my uncle and you guys that are new to it you can actually talk to people from miles away like if you have a stepsister or something or someone that is far away from you and you would love to talk to them just do it all on backbone best thing in the world BESIDES MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS anyway have a nice day and give backbone 5 stars

DaaS?. After you pay $100 for their (admittedly great) controller, they want another $50/year to subscribe to an app launcher. Imagine if you had to subscribe to the home screen on your ps5. It wouldn’t be so egregious if you could reassign the backbone button to something useful (like launching steam link) but instead they keep real estate on the controller you paid for just to taunt you. Honestly the app launcher should be a one time $5-10 unlock, not an $infinite subscription. I’m sure the developer is going to reply “Hey there! Backbone+ is entirely optional…” but this review is for an APP, not a game controller. If you look at the “screenshots” not a single one shows the app in an unsubscribed state. Without a subscription it’s just a firmware updater and controller tester, which is misleading at best.

I love it. The backbone gaming controller has revolutionized mobile gaming, providing a seamless and immersive gaming experience for gamers on the go. This innovative device has quickly become a favorite among gamers worldwide, offering a level of control and precision that was previously unavailable on mobile platforms. The backbone gaming controller is designed to enhance the gaming experience on iOS devices, such as iPhones and iPads. It features a sleek and ergonomic design, with a comfortable grip for handheld gaming.

Game changer. Absolute game changer accessory and gaming platform. Effectively turns your iPhone into a top tier gaming device. Who needs a switch anymore? The thoughtfulness and execution of the Backbone app cannot be stated enough — seamless to start games using the controller, drop into a party with your friends, record and share gameplay and even discover new games. Legit feels like something Apple made in an alternate reality where they were actually serious about gaming lol. The only thing I wish I could do more with this controller is fly drones, and control cameras in Unreal Engine for virtual production.

Bad bad bad. I bought two backbones only to find out backbone has an enormous reputation of the joystick always failing that’s what happened to my two backbones and now I will never buy a backbone product again. I haven’t used my item in over 7 months and forgot I had the backbone subscription for another year. I just got charged but keep getting declined but I don’t have any money in the selected card. Now, GuitarTuna charged me and it declined and it stopped charging me after the one time , but this app, backbone , continues to charge me time and time again because it has been declined. Thankfully the card that’s selected is out of money so it won’t take anything from me. But I would like to have it stop charging me

Overview and Gameplay. This controller is unlike anything I've ever used before, it is definitely at the top of its game right now! The only downside is that whenever I'm playing Mortal Kombat 11 on my Xbox Icloud, or any game for that matter, it lags consistently for frequent periods of time. Is there any resolution to this problem? 🤞 It could be a bug fix or something, but I'll leave that answer to the development team. Thanks!

No way to charge phone. I absolutely love the backbone and app, but I have run into a problem. There is no way to charge my phone while using the backbone. It’s very frustrating, especially when I’m in a match and get booted out because my phone died. Another problem I have while using the backbone, is does not support my phone having a cover. It’s too bulky and uneven leading to difficulties playing. Otherwise I am enjoying Backbone.

Backbone is the TRUTH. Love this thing 2x the “kishi” controller from Razer. Their controller is literally booboo compared to the backbone! If you wanna dominate shooters or just play some casual games this is the one to get for iPhone. I promise you I’m not getting paid for this review or anything, it’s really just that nice. Buttons are clicky and the overall controller just has a very nice, sturdy feel to it! I’ve been using this controller since they dropped last year. I was an early adopter and man let me tell ya it’s worth every penny if you like playing any type of game. -Jumpz

Stadia, Xbox , Ps5 , almost every apple game .. So many games to be played!!! The razor controller is so flimsy and just doesn’t have near the support of the Backbone. Best iPhone controller to ever exist. It’s like having an Xbox controller so any game that worked with that will work with this as well as ps games. I’ve played so much stadia with this it’s insane. This home app they’ve made to keep all your games in one spot is a lot like the Xbox dashboard and is so beautiful. Plus it stores all your captures

Not as Advertised Completely. I really like this device. However I have not seen the buttons or to where it gives you the option to stream on Twitch. I looked up the guide but it doesn’t show on my Backbone like it tells you on the website. Mostly importantly though is that I wish they made it to where I don’t have to take off my phone protection off every time just to hook it up to the controller. Since I connected my Xbox controller to my phone. I wish I could return this device because I rather keep my phone protected.

Need to be able to add other apps, remove promoted suggestions. The app is cool, but I never use it. Why? It’s handy, sure, but one game (Megaman X Dive) can’t be added to the list because it says controllers aren’t supported, despite the fact I use a controller with it all the time. The app itself is full of a lot of sales junk that I don’t use (or want), and cannot be pruned down. I paid $100 for a controller that can’t be used with a case and the need to promote additional ads and paid content, while also not being able to do the things it says it can do, makes this a useless app. I’d rather just keep a folder on my home screen.

Stop charging us to use the app!. Please find a way to allow us to use all the functions of the app without having to pay a subscription. It’s very frustrating and makes me not want to support the business. It would be different if the app sucked and nobody wanted to use it, but you guys made it very well. So stop charging your consumer an extra monthly cost to mostly just organize gaming apps. Make features through the homepage that can generate income like partnerships or be sustainable through ads. Subscriptions are the worst!

Very good, especially with controlers. It’s Christmas time and my grandma is leaving to go to Missouri five states away from California and that is going to be before Christmas day so she got me an early Christmas gift and it was the Backbone controlers. I’ve been download the app and I have nonstop been playing it for around four or three days and I really really love it and I would just like to say, the Backbone app is goodbye itself but especially with a controlers it’s really good.

Love my backbone one ps edition. I love my backbone one ps edition. Gaming on my iPhone 12 has been so much better now that my thumbs don’t cover part of the screen. I really like that we can switch between playing on the backbone app to ps plus app, Xbox cloud gaming or to how ever anyone likes to play. Which brings me to my only problem and the reason why I give it 4STARS right now. My backbone controller doesn’t want to connect anymore when I’m trying to play a game on Xbox cloud gaming. It connects when it wants and doesn’t connect when it wants. I don’t know how to fix it. Please help for 5STARS

Sooo…. I got the controller from my dad, and it was really good (I had to earn it lol). The app is greatly designed, the controller I’m still getting used to it. The only thing I would ask to do on the app is we can make like an avatar for ourself. (Like how Roblox is where you can make your avatar.) Also I’m having trouble playing Roblox with the controller and I need help literally 😂. But it’s really good, the developers for this did really good. I recommend the people who don’t have this to get it.

Doesn’t connect. So I received my backbone PlayStation edition for my iPhone 13 today and I was sooooo excited to finally use it (got it for downtime at work) to play with the guys on COD and it doesn’t connect to my phone, might just be my phone but my phone is in pristine condition and no issues with it ever until now (the fact it won’t connect to the back bone) I have tried my friends backbone and that’s what made me purchase one because it’s just mad convenient instead of connecting a controller to my phone I have it all as one. Overall 5 stars but due to the issue 3 stars. Will update later if I figure it out and I’m just an idiot

Best thing I bought. I was thinking of buying a new Nintendo switch because my old one that I have doesn’t really work anymore but someone told me about the backbone I did some research about it, got to say I was hooked. Soon I decided to get it and the setup was easy the gameplay was pretty good too considering it’s on a iPhone. Now I don’t have to spend 300 bucks on a Nintendo, and good thing I found it on sale for 70 bucks. Over all it’s an amazing product just kind of wish it worked with cases.

Subscription Glitch or Scam?. I have one year subscription till october 2024 and all of a sudden the app forced me to update and I had to re-login and it forced me into a screen where I have to re-subscribe again with no proper way of skipping that step. I double checked my apple subscriptions and it is already active till next year (I cancelled the auto-renew though, Intrestingly they have an option to renew it to another year before even it expired. Why?) So finally I couldn’t figure out how to NOT to resubscribe and gave it a shot and they actually tried to charge me which makes it twice for the same year (it got declined though). At the end, I was able to get to restore subscription button which is very well hidden and get me on-going subscription back and start playing. Extremely bad user experience to even show a resubscribe button to an existing and active subscription customer which leads to multiple charges.

Game changer. i’ve tried plenty of gaming controllers even ps4 controllers for mobile gaming and just couldn’t get into it. this is more then a just controller paired with the app it’s like your playing on a mobile gaming device and not just your regular iphone. truthfully i’ve been using remote play to play my ps4 sitting in my living room with my ps4 right in front of me because i’d rather have the screen in my hands. i can’t wait to see the future for this device and mobile gaming. this thing is a game changer

excellent product, exceeded requirements and expectations. The overall manufacturing quality of this hardware is very good. It seems reasonably durable and has a great feel in the hands for such a small device. I’m using this for that iPhone 13 pro max and even with the size issue I have no real issue playing or keeping the device in place. I use Xbox remote play a lot and if you can get a good enough Internet connection it works great. Otherwise I tend to stick to call of duty mobile and F1 Mobile which are also really good.

Versatility, power, and durability. Originally i played ark survival with my phone and i thought why not get more games on my phone with controller since i play on a console already, then i realized that it was very power draining for some reason, id play for 10 minutes and lose at least 10 percent of my battery, and most games you are required to purchase after already buying the backbone, which i feel is a scam, and there is no proper way to carry the backbone unless it is already on your phone, the case for it is flimsy and not durable at all and it broke after 2 weeks of being in my bag.

Almost perfect. So I love my backbone. Able to game just about anywhere with a decent internet connection. It has streamlined my content creation if I’m not doing live gameplays. It records my gameplay just fine unless I go to use my microphone to do a live commentary on my gameplay once I do that it no longer captures any audio. I’ve unmuted my mic from the screen record section, the ps remote play, and have clicked the option to allow my voice to be shared and it just cuts all audio from the recordings.

New Favorite App. I really like that I can find games that support the controller without the need to find out in the App Store. I’m discovering games on my phone and consoles, and I don’t have to go looking for one of my game system remotes anymore. One suggestion I do have is to add the audio to the preview of the game in full screen. For now, the autoplay audio only works before selecting the game to view details; full screen videos play without audio. I can’t wait for more family and friends in my contacts to get a Backbone so we can play and chat.

Backbone isn’t worth it.. I don’t want to pay to use the backbone after I already paid 100 bucks. I “enrolled” in the “free” 30 days then immediately cancelled with they said I can cancel anytime. But after 30 days they will not let me use the backbone until I re-enroll in the 30 day trail. Now I cannot get to use the backbone unless I re-enroll. I DO NOT WANT TO PAY $40 a year for backbone plus. I just want to use it on my phone. And since it’s been 30 days I cannot return it for a refund (how convenient) If I knew this I wouldn’t have wasted $100 on this product! 2 thumbs down! It will not let you past the Home Screen unless you sign up for free trail! So I cannot use it with enrollment in “free trail “

great portable controller. i’ve never played games online until now, playing ghostbusters spirits unleashed on ps5, it’s a lil difficult with my dexterity issues but i’m managing it but this controller is great. the only thing missing is the charger cord for it, i don’t remember seeing it in the box. 🤷🏼‍♀️ i’ll look again though i tossed the box in the trash already like an idiot. 🤦🏼‍♀️😂 Edit: never mind. a friend told me these portable controllers don’t need charger cords cuz they’re powered via the phone. 🤦🏼‍♀️

Been waiting years for this. I have waited so long for a good controller for iPhones. I have been trying various controllers for years, the most recent being the Razer Kishi. The Kishi as a huge disappointment, chiefly that is was super uncomfortable. The Backbone is everything I dreamed of a controller. It’s comfy and wonderful, especially with the pass through charging and the headphone jack! And the app turns the iPhone into a console, which is spectacular. Thank you for this!

A-one. top tier but... i’ve had this game for a while now.. it’s really amazing don’t get me wrong. everything ab it works great but recently it broke on me. idk where to go too to get it fixed and if someone could help me that would be amazing. tyy. Update: now i’m getting a new one!! that’s honestly why i love this game and company. everything about it worked amazing and i’ll never regret spending my money on it!! 10/10.. get it!

I have an issue. So I saw you can play Sims 4 on this through PlayStation which I want to do. I already have The Sims 4 on my PlayStation so I thought I could just play on here. When i press play for it and click open in ps, it takes me to a website were it says to press download to library. I already have it downloaded. It then just says waiting and doesn’t actually download. This is probably a PlatStation problem but it is advertised that I can do this and I cannot. Also, aren't you supposed to get a free trial for the X-box Ultimate Game Pass. Well it says I need it for Sims 4 and doesn’t work.

You will not regret this. I wish I could say bad things about this but it’s impossible. It has lasted me for over two years now it’s very comfortable it’s very durable the buttons do not rub out it’s portable it’s literally like caring your own controller everywhere you go, so whether you plan on gaming on your phone or on your laptop, it does not matter it just makes gaming way better.

Phenomenal. Rarely am I compelled to sit and write a review on the App Store but I am so blown away by not only the innovation of this company but the way it treats its customers and community. This app/controller has completely revolutionized how I game. I think back to being a kid and opening a game boy sp or Nintendo ds for Christmas, and the vibes of chilling in my bed and playing my favorite games handheld. As an adult, this controller takes me back to that, and probably partly why I love it so much. Backbone labs takes care of its customers and I believe that their team has to be gamers because they pay such close attention to specific details such as smart recording and just overall the way people use their device. I literally could not recommend this device/app enough.

Amazing setup. 5 stars is not enough to show how well put together the dashboard is and how easy it is to find and download any games that support the controller. I’ve never thought of owning a mobile controller until I saw backbone and it’s been a great decision it’s so responsive and feels just right for anyone I’ve already recommended this product and app to all my friends so overall 10 out of 10 from me.

Action. The backbone gaming controller for iPhone is fantastic and I don’t think it should be made for another type of device. However, I would recommend backbone labs allocates their moneys toward game design so the backbone gaming controller gives a more purposeful gaming experience. For example, in Call of Duty Mobile I cannot sprint with the controller nor can I knife like I can with a console controller. I do not like the concept of a console for myself and does not suit my personal life. I hope this inspires you (plural) to excel in all aspects of what you choose to do.

Idk. I don’t know what to title this but do I enjoy the backbone yes I do but at the same time I didn’t think about how expensive things would be. From what I can imagine/understand is you gottta pay for Backbone plus to use the backbone one device which is 50 bucks a year (keep in mind I’m already paying 50 bucks for for Xbox live). Also to get the full experience of gaming you gotta pay 180 bucks a year ($15x12 months) for Xbox game pass ultimate to play over 100 games otherwise just use remote play. But I haven’t fully done my research for backbone+ yet so I could be wrong. Either way remote play is useable outside the house.

Has potential. Started off enjoying my backbone one, no lie. However, the subscriptions you need for playing certain games are just way too much!! Wouldn't be a problem if the cloud gameplay was consistent enough for competitive games. Very disappointed lately, especially because i have to subscribe to another app in order to keep playing gta online... also grips are a little small & they make my hands slip/cramp a lot. On the bright side, the new warzone mobile is kinda fun with the controller. If only i could play rocket league without lagging;(

Misleading advertisement. The product itself is really good, but one thing. I bought the backbone for the "Play on any screen" feature. Turns out that particular feature is locked behind a paywall, and that was not stated in the ad I saw...very misleading. I feel lied to. It’s not like this thing is $20. It’s $100. To lock FEATURES YOU ADVERTISE behind a $40-$50 wall is absurd. I mean they’re quick to tell you “Oh the subscription is optional” but for me it’s literally not. I bought this to use on my iPad and that’s only possible with a subscription. Not cool.