Building on the success of its wireless Stratus controller, SteelSeries today introduced the Stratus XL, a full-sized gaming controller for the iPad, iPhone or iPod touch. Similar to its pocket-sized counterpart, the Stratus XL connects to your iOS device wirelessly through Bluetooth instead of the Lightning port.

stratus-xl-main
The Stratus XL features a larger, console controller-inspired design that provides room for two analog joysticks, a pressure-sensitive directional pad (D-pad), 4 pressure-sensitive action buttons and 4 shoulder buttons that include two trigger buttons.

"We have been working for well over a year now on perfecting the wireless controller experience for iOS devices. We have been incredibly impressed by the way the SteelSeries Stratus has been received by consumers so far and we are looking forward to introducing the Stratus XL to the iOS gaming community – who have been asking for a full-sized controller option," said Tino Soelberg, SteelSeries CTO. "The Stratus XL was designed to meet their demands, delivered with the premium features and top-to-bottom quality expected from SteelSeries."

The Stratus XL will support the same iOS 7 games as the original Stratus including Dead Trigger 2, Asphalt 8: Airborne, Bastion and more. The large format controller will debut later this year at a price that is yet to be announced. Customers can visit the Stratus XL product page and sign up to be notified when the product availability date and pricing are confirmed.

Related Roundup: iPad
Buyer's Guide: iPad (Neutral)
Related Forums: iPad, iPhone, iPod touch and iPod

Top Rated Comments

The Phazer Avatar
149 months ago
Unfortunately this will be way too expensive due to MiFi licensing.

Apple should just roll in official console controller support without a jailbreak, but I don't see that happening.

Indeed.

Just add the Dual Shock 4 to the whitelist already.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Cougarcat Avatar
149 months ago
Unfortunately this will be way too expensive due to MiFi licensing.

Apple should just roll in official console controller support without a jailbreak, but I don't see that happening.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ikir Avatar
149 months ago
Very nice, i think i will buy one but for using mainly with OS X since it can use MFi controllers too.

----------

Oooooh! I would LOVE that! Would be worth a $100 price tag for me. :D

It already this way since 10.9 you can use any MFi controller.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Kobayagi Avatar
149 months ago
Cool, a Xbox controller design with PS analog stick placement. ^^ Very innovative.
Anyway, like many of these controllers, they'll just be way too expensive compared to a Xbox or PS one, which are undoubtably better.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
WilliamLondon Avatar
149 months ago
Combine this with a new Apple TV with an App Store and the Metal API... and suddenly Apple directly challenges current consoles.

Yep, this is exactly what I think they have in the works. Not that gaming will be their main thrust with any new ATV, they wouldn't want to appear to go head-to-head against the games consoles (and they wouldn't want to), but to be able to offer gaming (iOS) style, but better (on the big screen in your living room, using a physical controller, with better than average iOS device graphics), they'll end up appealing to a huge swath of people who enjoy the casual gaming of iOS and either have a console they never turn on, or won't ever buy a dedicated gaming console. Yep, and can't wait!
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
stiligFox Avatar
149 months ago
I'm not 100% sure, but I believe that from now on MFi controllers designed for iOS 8 will also automatically work / be required to work with OS X Yosemite -- which would make the controller a whole lot more useful...

(Even though there are plenty of cheaper controllers that already work with OS X, at least this way it would allow one to have a controller for iOS AND OS X)
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iOS 26

iOS 26.1 Available Now With These 8 New Features

Monday November 3, 2025 5:54 am PST by
Following more than a month of beta testing, Apple released iOS 26.1 on Monday, November 3. The update includes a handful of new features and changes, including the ability to adjust the look of Liquid Glass and more. Below, we outline iOS 26.1's key new features. Liquid Glass Toggle iOS 26.1 lets you choose your preferred look for Liquid Glass. In the Settings app, under Display...
2024 iPhone Boxes Feature

Apple Adjusts Trade-In Values for iPhones, iPads, Macs, and More

Thursday November 6, 2025 11:12 am PST by
Apple today updated its trade-in values for select iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch models. Trade-ins can be completed on Apple's website, or at an Apple Store. The charts below provide an overview of Apple's current and previous trade-in values in the U.S., according to its website. Maximum values for most devices either decreased or saw no change, but the iPad Air received a slight bump. ...
Finder Siri Feature

Apple's New Siri Will Be Powered By Google Gemini

Wednesday November 5, 2025 11:57 am PST by
The smarter, more capable version of Siri that Apple is developing will be powered by Google Gemini, reports Bloomberg. Apple will pay Google approximately $1 billion per year for a 1.2 trillion parameter artificial intelligence model that was developed by Google. For context, parameters are a measure of how a model understands and responds to queries. More parameters generally means more...
Liquid Glass General Feature

Apple Shares Liquid Glass Design Gallery

Thursday November 6, 2025 2:45 pm PST by
Apple is promoting the new Liquid Glass design in iOS 26, showing off the ways that third-party developers are embracing the aesthetic in their apps. On its developer website, Apple is featuring a visual gallery that demonstrates how "teams of all sizes" are creating Liquid Glass experiences. The gallery features examples of Liquid Glass in apps for iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and Mac. Apple...
Apple Logo Spotlight

Report: Apple to Launch These New Products in 2026

Sunday November 2, 2025 5:34 am PST by
Apple is planning to launch at least 15 new products in 2026, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Gurman outlined what to expect from Apple in 2026 in the latest edition of his "Power On" newsletter. He said the company is heading "into one of its most pivotal years in recent memory," with the rollout of major new Apple Intelligence features, intense regulatory pressure on the App Store,...
iOS 26

Apple Releases iOS 26.1 With Liquid Glass Toggle, Slide to Stop Alarm, New Apple Intelligence Languages and More

Monday November 3, 2025 1:11 pm PST by
Apple today released iOS 26.1, the first major update to the iOS 26 operating system that came out in September, iOS 26.1 comes over a month after iOS 26 launched. ‌iOS 26‌.1 is compatible with the ‌iPhone‌ 11 series and later, as well as the second-generation ‌iPhone‌ SE. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones over-the-air by going to Settings > General >...
apple watch se 3 always on

Apple to Remove iPhone-Apple Watch Wi-Fi Sync in EU With iOS 26.2

Thursday November 6, 2025 4:37 am PST by
Apple in iOS 26.2 will disable automatic Wi-Fi network syncing between iPhone and Apple Watch in the European Union to comply with the bloc's regulations, suggests a new report. Normally, when an iPhone connects to a new Wi-Fi network, it automatically shares the network credentials with the paired Apple Watch. This allows the watch to connect to the same network independently – for...
airtag purple

Apple's Website Lists AirTag 4-Pack at Shockingly Low Price [Updated]

Friday November 7, 2025 6:40 am PST by
Apple's online store in the U.S. is suddenly offering a pack of four AirTags for just $29, which is the same price as a single AirTag. This is likely a pricing error, and it is unclear if orders will be fulfilled. Apple has not discounted the AirTag four-pack in any other countries that we checked. Delivery estimates are already pushing into late November to early December, suggesting...