Backbone One x Death Stranding inbound with free copy of the game

To celebrate the long-awaited launch of Death Stranding: Director's Cut on the iPhone 15 Pro, mobile controller maker Backbone has partnered with Kojima Studios to launch a limited edition game themed controller. While previous Backbone controllers for the iPhone have been equipped with a Lightning connector, this model is equipped with USB-C – which also means that in addition to the iPhone 15 Pro models, it should work with many Android phones as well (though we suggest checking with Backbone to confirm).

Death Stranding was made by cult game director Hideo Kojima and launched as a PlayStation 4 exclusive in 2020. It has since been ported to PCs, but is among the first wave of AAA PC gaming titles to reach the iPhone, and is designed to showcase the performance of Apple’s A17 Pro. Apple says the A17 Pro features the largest graphics architecture overhaul in the history of its A-series chips and supports real-time ray tracing. As we revealed exclusively, Apple’s MetalFX frame-generation upscaling technology is actually powered by AMD’s open-sourced FidelityFX Super Resolution tech.

Those familiar with the limited edition PS4 Death Stranding themed console will notice the similarities between the design of its controller and the new limited edition Backbone controller. It will also come with a free copy of the game, which is currently on a pre-order special of $19.99, or 50% off through the App Store. In addition to the iPhone, Death Stranding is also supported on M-series iPads and M-series Macs. The new limited edition Backbone controller will go on sale next week for $125.