Hands-On With The New Moto Gamepad Mod

With the announcement of the new Moto Z2 Force Edition, Motorola and Lenovo have also shown off a few new Moto Mods, one of those being the new Moto Gamepad Mod (officially unveiled back in June), which lets users snap their device into a handheld gamepad for immersive gaming experiences anywhere they wish to dive right in. Once the phone is placed inside of the Moto Gamepad the whole unit looks and feels similar to the likes of Sony’s PlayStation Vita handheld console. The Moto Gamepad also takes after Bluetooth controllers for mobile devices like the Phonejoy 2, a gamepad which can be pulled apart and extended to reveal a segment in the middle where you can slot your phone into and lock it in place, though admittedly the Moto Gamepad is likely to feel a bit better in the hand.

The Moto Gamepad features Bluetooth technology so it connects to your Moto Z device wirelessly, and it comes with a built-in 1,035 mAh rechargeable battery, which Motorola boasts will last up to eight hours of continuous playtime before needing to plug it in and fuel it back up for your next gaming session.

To keep things feeling familiar for gamers, the gamepad has your standard set of controls including two thumbsticks, a D-Pad, four action buttons, and left and right bumper and trigger buttons up top. The thumbsticks can even be clicked to provide two extra buttons just like on PS4 and Xbox One controllers. As an added aesthetic, the Y logo on the back of the gamead even glows at all times during use for a cool light effect, and there are red dual LED lights on both the left and right bumpers that respond to use. Motorola and Lenovo have said the mod will be available this Summer for $79.99, and while it is already Summer time, the website doesn’t have a buy option just yet. For the distinguished mobile gamer who loves gaming on the go (or at home) but prefers tactile, physical controls as opposed to touchscreen controls, the Moto Gamepad Mod is the perfect fit, and it will work with any of the devices in the Moto Z family, not just the Moto Z2 Play and Moto Z2 Force.