This new kind of controller fixed mobile games for me, and I'm never looking back

The first time I got my hands on a telescopic controller, it felt like magic. Turning my phone into a Nintendo Switch made it far more fun to play, and it made me swear off touchscreen controls for good.

But a few years later, the limitations of telescopic controllers are really starting to grate on me. For starters, they’re not very portable. Early models, like the first Razer Kishi, folded up into a smallish square, but newer models all have the same H-shaped design that doesn’t pack up nearly as neatly. As my bag has slowly filled up with coloring books, crayons, cards, and other things to keep my kids entertained, bag space has increasingly come at a premium. Bulky telescopic controllers didn’t make the cut.

I’ve also been absolutely spoiled by the rise of dedicated gaming handhelds. Nowadays, they come in all shapes and sizes, and all of them are more comfortable than a phone with Joy Cons strapped on either side.

However, a new category of controller has emerged in the last few months, and it has completely revitalized my interest in gaming on my phone. They’re small, comfortable to use, and most importantly, highly portable.

And the secret sauce? Magnets.

My gateway to magnetic controllers

My first taste of the magnetic controller revolution was the Abxylute M4, which still has a few days left in crowdfunding as I’m writing this (with sales moving to the website after that). The tiny Bluetooth controller caught my eye when it was announced back in August, and while it’s not perfect, it’s so convenient that it’s become the only controller I still take with me everywhere I go.

To give you an idea of how small this thing is, it’s just a little larger than my earbuds case. It fits so effortlessly into my pocket that I can forget it’s even there, which hasn’t been the case for my smartphone for nearly a decade.

Truthfully, the magnetic ring is the only part that sticks out, and that’s pretty much inevitable. The good news is the magnet itself is very strong, so my phone never flopped onto the floor like a sad pancake. It’s definitely top-heavy, especially when paired with an enormous gaming phone like the REDMAGIC 11 Pro, but for short stints on the bus or train, it’s been a game-changer.

The concession with such a diminutive size is the sticks. They’re sliders, similar to my old PSP, but they’re located on top of the other controls. This upside-down-PlayStation approach wouldn’t make sense on a normal controller, and it doesn’t make a lot of sense here, either. As a result, I use it to emulate retro games or play simple platformers that work with the D-pad.

That might not sound like much, but it’s a huge improvement over what I used to play on my phone outside the house, which is nothing. Telescopic controllers are still fine for cloud gaming or emulating Hollow Knight: Silksong, but those aren’t the types of games I’d want to play on a bus.

Still, there are times when I do want a full set of controls. There are plenty of controller-compatible games on Android that both make good use of the sticks and can be played in short bursts. Games like Dead Cells, Genshin Impact, and Destiny: Rising are just out of reach of the M4. Thankfully, there’s another option for those games if you’re willing to pay a little more.

MCON steals the stage

Although it was first revealed more than two years ago, MCON is finally just a few weeks away from launching to the general public. I had the chance to check it out earlier this month, and it might be the design that kills telescopic controllers for good.

If you somehow haven’t seen the hype videos, it mixes MagSafe magnets, Bluetooth controllers, and a PSP Go-style sliding design to create the ultimate mobile controller. I’ve tested plenty of premium telescopic controllers, including the $170 Backbone Pro, but none of them feel as premium as MCON.

This thing is built like a tank. A thick plate covers the controls when they’re not in use, and the whole thing is roughly the same size as an external battery pack. It’s not as small as the Abxylute M4, but it’s every bit as pocketable as a smartphone.

The added size really pays off when it comes to ergonomics, although it’s still very top-heavy with a larger phone. The oddly configured sliders on the M4 are replaced with inset sticks that work incredibly well. I wouldn’t hesitate to play just about any game on this, which I can only say about a handful of telescopic controllers. None of which fit in my bag with any kind of ease.

What’s more, it can also detach from the plate to use in tabletop mode. This feature is also found on the M4, with a magnetic ring that opens like many smartphone kickstands. Both allow you to play games in tabletop mode, with just the controllers in hand. Some (but not all) telescopic controllers support Bluetooth, but they feel incredibly awkward to hold without a phone between the handles.

While that sounds amazing, what isn’t amazing is the price. MCON costs $150, which is a very hefty price to pay for a Bluetooth controller. It’s more than three times the price of the M4, but hey, it’s still cheaper than the Backbone Pro.

The future of mobile controllers

These are just the first two magnetic controllers to hit the market, and I expect many more in the coming months. Abxylute has already confirmed to me that the company plans on releasing additional magnetic designs, although it may be a while before any are made public. After raising more than $250,000 for the M4, it’s clear that there’s a hunger for this kind of product.

In other words, this is just the beginning. The Abxylute M4 and MCON hit the two extremes, but there’s plenty of room in the middle. It’s easy to imagine established companies like GameSir (which contributed to MCON’s design in some way) rushing in to fill it.

The timing couldn’t be better. With magnets becoming a standard feature on modern phones, starting with Google’s Pixel lineup earlier this year, magnetic accessories are no longer a niche experiment. It was only a matter of time before gaming caught up.

To be clear, I don’t think telescopic controllers will disappear overnight. They’re still great for couch play, whether it’s Android games, emulation, or cloud gaming. But for me, that space is now dominated by dedicated gaming handhelds. For the way I actually game on my phone, in short sessions while outside the home, magnetic controllers feel like a natural evolution.

For the first time in years, I don’t have to plan my mobile gaming around a controller. It finally fits in my pocket.