Skip to main content

OtterBox’s new Xbox mobile gaming accessories signal a cloud gaming revolution

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.

OtterBox Cloud Gaming Xbox
Image used with permission by copyright holder

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.

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.

Editors' Recommendations

Giovanni Colantonio
Giovanni is a writer and video producer focusing on happenings in the video game industry. He has contributed stories to…
Your Xbox Live Gold subscription will turn into Xbox Game Pass Core this September
Xbox Game Pass Core's logo over a library of games.

Microsoft finally made the decision to move on from its monthly online-access subscription service Xbox Live Gold. On September 14, Xbox Live Gold will transform into Xbox Game Pass Core, with current Gold subscribers automatically gaining a Game Pass Core subscription.

An Xbox Live subscription tied to online play has existed in some form since Xbox Live launched in 2002, but Xbox Live Gold as we now know it truly came into form in July 2013 when Microsoft started the Games with Gold program that gave subscribers free games each month in addition to that online access. Although Microsoft rolled back some online restrictions in 2021, Games with Gold continues to this day. That will all end when Game Pass Core launches.

Read more
You can get a month of Xbox Game Pass for $1 right now
A tv shows the new Xbox Game Pass that comes to Samsung Gaming Hub soon.

If you aren't currently signed up for Xbox Game Pass, you can currently get your first month for $1. The deal only applies to Game Pass Ultimate and its PC version, though, as the console-only version is still at its full price.

Early in the Xbox Game Pass era, Microsoft would offer $1 onboarding deals for the service. The trick helped the company build a massive user base early on, but it has moved away from that cheap deal in recent years as the service has become a household name with gamers. It's finally available again for anyone who's been waiting for a reason to subscribe, though it's not as eye-popping a deal as it once was.

Read more
The best multiplayer games on the Xbox Series X
how to get ashen keys in sea of thieves chests

Multiplayer games are certainly at their best on the current-gen systems. With the power of the Xbox Series X, we're seeing online experiences that were never possible before. Killer graphics, smoother frame rates, and slick loading screens make this the best time to jump into a game with your friends. The only question becomes: What game will you play?

Rather than being strapped for choices, you'll find that there are way too many options for multiplayer experiences on the Series X. Rather than waste your time and money on a lackluster or half-baked title, check out this list of the best multiplayer games that you and your friends should jump into.

Read more