Microsoft's plans for a handheld Xbox gaming experience to rival the Nintendo Switch have been revealed in a patent application.
The patent describes two removable "input modules" that can be temporarily attached to a touchscreen device – such as a smartphone or tablet – and provide input controls.
Similar to the Switch's Joy-Con controllers, these input devices are designed to allow users to play games on handheld device without obscuring the screen with their fingers.
Diagrams in the patent application show what appears to be an Xbox controller in two halves, featuring the familiar ABXY buttons, D-pad and thumbsticks, as well as the View and Menu buttons.
The patent states that the input modules can be placed anywhere around the periphery of the touchscreen device, and may be rearranged by the user depending on the application displayed.
To bring the concept to life, Sarang Sheth from Yanko Design has created a series of 3D renders based on the drawings in the patent application.
In the renders, the controllers have been given the name "Xbox Cloud", and feature left and right trigger buttons, built-in stereo speakers and a headphone jack.
Sheth says that the controllers will feature independent removable batteries and communicate with the handset via Wi-Fi.
They will come with a docking station for charging, as detailed in the patent application.
"It's pretty certain that Microsoft isn't just taking on Google's Stadia with its own cloud-based gaming service," said Sheth.
"[It] is also going gung-ho into the hardware side of things too, with detachable controllers you can clip to your phone for the most portable Xbox experience ever imagined!
"Based on patented designs, these conceptual Xbox Cloud controllers give us an idea of what the real thing would feel like."
It's important to note that, just because Microsoft has filed a patent for detachable gaming controllers, doesn't necessarily mean that they will ever see the light of day.
Tech companies often file patents for products that are never mass-produced or are released in radically different forms.
However, it would not be a surprise if Microsoft was exploring new handheld options for Xbox, given the popularity of the Switch console and the general move towards game streaming.
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