The new Xbox Nano controller is designed for “young gamers, smaller hands, or anyone looking for something portable”

Microsoft today announced a new $50/£45 controller, the Xbox Nano Controller. It has a squarer shape and smaller dimensions, which Microsoft says makes it better for gamers with smaller hands and gaming on the go.

Although it’s considerably more compact, the controller includes all of the same buttons as the normal Xbox Wireless Controller that debuted with its Series X and Series S consoles in 2020. There’s also support for Xbox’s proprietary wireless, as well as Bluetooth for connecting to Android, iOS, and PC. Unlike the wireless controller, this one comes with a rechargeable battery that can be recharged via USB-C and a programmable action button.

Microsoft controllers were the latest to make news when the Xbox Elite Series 3 controller was rumored to have been spotted on the company’s Design Labs site, following initial sightings elsewhere. There’s unfortunately no sign of the Elite Series 3 in this announcement, but perhaps that’s still to come.

Interestingly, we’ve also seen the Nano leak in a slightly different form as an Xbox Cloud gaming controller, coming with a small built-in screen – something that doesn’t appear to have made the final design that became the Xbox Nano.

The new Nano controller is available for pre-order now, with a “starting November” release date in most territories, including the UK and US.

You can also get the Nano and 12 months of Game Pass Ultimate for free with the purchase of select Samsung TVs in the US this upcoming holiday season.

What do you think of this announcement? I think it’s a pretty cute design, and I’m intrigued to see how it fares against the last compact controller we tested, the similarly shaped (and arguably more powerful) Skylark S1 Pro.