OtterBox is entering the mobile gaming arena with a suite of accessories designed with Xbox Game Pass in mind. The new line of products signals what could be a breakout year for cloud gaming.
OtterBox’s gaming gear offers a thorough setup for mobile players. The products are primarily built around Xbox controllers, starting with an Easy Grip Controller Shell. The add-on features rubberized, antimicrobial grips that snap onto both the Series X and Elite Series controllers. The grips are swappable and designed to reduce sweat.
The company’s new mobile gaming clip is compatible with Xbox controllers. It’s a three-talon clip that accounts for different side button layouts across devices. The actual clip can be removed from the controller attachment, turning it into a table stand.
Players can grab a carrying case that’s custom molded to fit Xbox controllers in their grips and with the gaming clip still attached. The water-resistant case features a cable passthrough for easy controller charging and a built-in smartphone stand on top of the case.
OtterBox is also introducing a new phone case designed with gaming in mind. The iPhone case features a thermal pad that dissipates heat away from the phone to help keep it cool during technically intense games. The company also created new privacy glass that’s designed with landscape orientation in mind.
Looking at everything together, OtterBox has put together a multiproduct portable gaming solution that accounts for a wide range of uses. While companies have put out accessories like gaming clips in the past, OtterBox is upping the ante by creating a full product ecosystem for mobile players.
- 1. Gaming Carry Case
- 2. East Grip Controller Shell
- 3. Easy Grip Gaming Case
- 4. Mobile Gaming Clip
The robust offerings indicate that the phone case company has high expectations for cloud gaming in 2021. The timing of the partnership with Microsoft is especially notable considering that the company’s cloud gaming service will roll out to iOS this spring. Both the phone case and screen are built for iPhones specifically, with OtterBox saying it plans to roll out Android options eventually.
While the products mostly seem built for Microsoft’s big iOS launch, OtterBox noted that this is only the beginning of its dive into the gaming space. The company plans to expand its portfolio to other partners
In our 2021 gaming predictions, we noted that this year would mark a significant step forward for cloud gaming. Between Amazon Luna, Google Stadia’s iOS launch, and Microsoft’s impending expansion in the space, it seems that companies are making serious investments into mobile gaming and see it as a viable option. OtterBox’s somewhat left-field involvement shows that even those outside of the gaming industry see a trend coming and are preparing for a boom.
Pre-orders for OtterBox’s gaming line begin on January 25, with products expected to go on sale in mid-February.
