A recently discovered patent reveals the potential new hardware that could be released alongside Google’s upcoming game streaming service, Project Stream.
The patent, discovered by Yanko Design, depicts an internet-connected controller that appears to be independent of a single host device.
In response to the patent, Yanko Design made up a few renders — including the image above.
The controller could receive notifications for chat and invites to play and would allow a relevant app to launch on a relevant device — so users could continue gaming on a tablet if another smart device, like a TV or computer, was in use.
According to the patent, the gamepad could also store account and host device settings (like volume and brightness) in addition to button-mapping and general gamepad settings.
This indicates that Google might not be releasing any kind of console and instead house all necessary data on a server.
The patent was originally filed in 2014, and as patents are usually just indications of the direction of the final product, the actual controller may look significantly different.
