Xiaomi black shark gamepad 2.0 revolutionizes the mobile gaming experience

When the first rumors about the Xiaomi Black Shark came, mobile gamers were eager about the possibility of a phone that more or less turns into a Nintendo Switch via removable controllers. However, the crowd was disappointed to see the device's one-sided controller. It seems that Xiaomi is finally making up for lost time with the Black Shark Gamepad 2.0, which finally brings two drivers to turn a phone into a portable console.

Black Shark Gamepad 2.0 transform your Xiaomi Black Shark into an advanced portable console

This isn't the first time we've seen the Black Shark Gamepad 2.0, as it made a special appearance when the Black Shark Helo was announced. Back then, it was supposed to be exclusive to the company's second-generation phone. Fortunately, it is proving otherwise. Black Shark Gamepad 2.0 is made up of three pieces, including the two "Joy-cons" of course. But, here is the downside, you also need the slide-out protective case on the Black Shark phone for the drivers to connect.

We recommend reading our article about Xiaomi Black Shark Helo: Xiaomi's new gaming smartphone

The drivers themselves are quite interesting. They have the usual ABXY buttons on the bottom, but instead of a D-pad or joystick on top, it has a touchpad similar to the Steam controller. Both controllers cover pretty much every button you'll ever need, and you're supposed to be able to customize their functions. The Black Shark Gamepad 2.0 costs $ 89. Drivers probably use Bluetooth, so in theory they should work on any phone, even if they can't be paired. It remains to be seen whether it requires special Black Shark exclusive software to make button assignments work.