THE CRUNCH
Microsoft's miniature Xbox Nano controller, launching tomorrow, has an unannounced trick: it can connect directly to Xbox Cloud Gaming over Wi-Fi to reduce latency. The feature is being privately tested on the new Xbox Cloud Gaming website and requires pairing the controller to Microsoft's cloud servers through the Xbox mobile app.
The approach echoes Google's Stadia controllers, which likewise linked straight to cloud servers rather than a console. The Verge's Tom Warren, who first reported earlier this year that Microsoft was planning a Wi-Fi-connected controller for this purpose, expects the feature to arrive as a preview for the Nano soon, before broader support across Xbox Cloud Gaming on the web and smart TVs.
There is history here: Microsoft previously planned a direct-to-cloud controller, codenamed Sebile, for a cancelled Xbox Series X refresh in 2024. Warren also expects the upcoming Xbox Elite 3 controller to gain the same functionality, though Microsoft has not confirmed either point.