Xiaomi's Gamepad 2.0 turns the Black Shark into a mini Nintendo Switch

Xiaomi has announced the Gamepad 2.0 accessory for its Black Shark smartphone. As the name implies, the Gamepad 2.0 is the successor to the original Gamepad that launched in April alongside the smartphone.

Based on the image above, it looks like you attach the Gamepad 2.0 to the Black Shark similar to how you would attach Joy-Cons to the Nintendo Switch. That is, the peripheral attaches to the left and right side of the smartphone. This compares to the original Gamepad, which only attaches to the left side of the phone.

The Gamepad 2.0 features a joystick and D-pad on the left side and a touchpad and ABXY buttons on the right side. Both sides feature a trigger button and a triangle-shaped button near the bottom. All of the buttons are mappable too, giving you a little more flexibility in various games.

The touchpad is an interesting inclusion, as gamepads typically feature a second joystick instead of a touchpad. It gives it a sort of Steam Controller vibe, but we’re not sure if it will improve or harm the experience — aren’t we using smartphone controllers to get away from touchscreen control?

The Gamepad 2.0 will be available on Black Shark’s website for 79 euros/79 pounds/$89.

This isn’t the only round of Black Shark news, as Xiaomi has also announced its “Black Shark Xmas” promotion. Customers can instantly save 80 euros/80 pounds on the gaming phone. The discounts drop the price to 419 euros/359 pounds.

Folks can also participate in the Rebellion Supply Drop reviewers program. Once you receive your smartphone, you can get 20 euros/20 pounds back if you leave a review on the Black Shark website.

Finally, you can save 20 percent on the Gamepad 2.0 if you bundle it with the gaming phone.

The Black Shark Xmas promotion runs from now through January 4. Keen to get in on the action? Then you can visit the official website via the button below.

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