This Is What Google’s New Controller For Its Streaming Device Could Look Like

You’ve likely heard by now that Google is looking to break into the video game scene with its own ambitious sounding streaming service, and a new patent gives us an insight into what the controller for such a service could look like. 

By all accounts it looks as if Google will be unveiling its future in video games later this month during an event at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco. Some reports have labelled it a “Netflix for games”, and the whole thing will expand on the Project Stream trial last year, which allowed users to stream Assassin’s Creed Odyssey straight from their browsers.

The patent itself isn’t for a controller, but for a notification system built into the controller that lets the player know all kinds of useful bits of info, such as when a friend comes online, or when a new game becomes available.

Interestingly though, the patent does come with a number of handy illustrations to better highlight the ideas behind it. This is, I should point out, simply a patent, so the illustrations of the controller are hardly confirmation of what Google’s controller could look like, but it could give us some indication.

The controller (which you can see above) looks like a fairly traditional bit of kit, coming with a dual-joystick setup, trigger buttons, and a D-pad. It also looks like there’s a microphone button, which hints at a voice chat functionality. The better to hear 13 year old kids telling you how much they hate you.

Yankodesign later shared a series of unofficial renders based off of the patents (which you can see below). I have to say, I think it looks pretty cool, if not as ergonomically friendly as its PS4 and Xbox One cousins.

The Game Developers Conference kicks off on March 18, so we’ll be sure to let you know exactly what Google – and everyone else – has planned as and when the announcements and unveilings starts to come.