GameSir's Fortnite G8 Plus Is the One Controller I Use on My iPhone, iPad and Switch

I played Fortnite and Asphalt on an iPhone, an iPad and a Nintendo Switch with it, clamped in and as a standalone pad. It stayed connected the whole time with no drops or lag I could feel. Pairing takes a minute to learn on each platform, and the empty bridge has a little wobble, but neither stopped me from reaching for it.

GameSir G8 Plus Fortnite Edition - Multi-Platform Mobile Controller

The G8 Plus is GameSir's stretch-style Bluetooth controller for phones, tablets and the Switch, and the Fortnite Edition comes in three designs: Peely, Cuddle Team Leader and Victory Royale. It has Hall Effect sticks and triggers, two remappable back buttons, a magnetic faceplate, a 6-axis gyroscope and a redemption card for Fortnite in-game items. It costs $89.99 from GameSir and on Amazon.

Check Price at Amazon

Who it's for

Fortnite players who want to turn a phone, iPad or Switch into something closer to a console controller, and anyone who plays across several devices and wants one controller for all of them. It's also a great gift for a Fortnite fan, with the in-game items as a bonus.

You mostly play on a PC or console and want a full-size controller that feels completely solid in your hands. The GameSir G7 Pro 8K is the better pick there, and our guide to the best controllers for PC gaming has more options.

A Fortnite Controller That Doesn't Feel Like Merch

The design is the first thing you notice. The grips are yellow with Peely line art, the bridge and accents are a bright sky blue, and the back has a large Fortnite logo spelled out in bananas. The colors are bold without looking cheap, and the details are crisp up close.

The grips are laser engraved, which gives them a fine texture that helps your hands stay put, and the shape fills your palms like a regular console controller. The sticks are full size and comfortable, the D-pad is clicky and precise, and the face buttons have a satisfying response. They don't have the top-tier feel of the G7 Pro 8K, but for a stretch controller built to fit so many devices, this is one of the most comfortable I've used.

The flat bed in the middle, where your phone or Switch sits, has a textured finish that feels good quality, and the grip arms on each end are shaped to hold a device firmly without pressing too hard on it. GameSir says a phone case can stay on in Bluetooth mode, which saves you from pulling your case off every time you want to play.

One Controller for Phone, Tablet and Switch

The G8 Plus stretches to fit devices up to 215 mm (8.46 in) long, so it holds an iPhone, a small tablet or a Switch. I've extended it many times, and it still snaps back with the same tension.

On my iPhone, Fortnite felt like a proper console game. With the phone clamped in the middle, the whole thing feels like a handheld console rather than a phone with a controller attached.

The Switch fits snugly too, and turns into a handheld with full-size sticks and proper grips. Fortnite on the Switch was comfortable, and I didn't run into any drops or lag.

1 / 2

You can also use the G8 Plus on its own as a wireless controller. With my iPad on a stand, I played Asphalt and Fortnite with the controller in my hands, and it worked just as well. One thing to know for iPhone and iPad: Apple doesn't allow GameSir's on-screen touch mapping, so on iOS it only works with games that support controllers natively. Fortnite and Asphalt both do.

Pairing Takes Some Practice

Connecting the G8 Plus is straightforward once you know the steps, but each platform has its own mode and button combination. The light changes color to show the mode: yellow for Android, red for Switch and other devices, and cyan for GameSir's touch mapping mode. Moving to a different device usually means picking the right mode and pairing again.

If you're new to this kind of controller, expect to spend a few minutes getting it connected the first time on each device. After that, it becomes muscle memory and just works. Once paired, the connection was solid on every device I tried. Bluetooth runs at a 125Hz polling rate, wired PC play goes up to 500Hz, and the optional 2.4GHz dongle for PC reaches 200Hz.

Back Buttons, App and Swappable Parts

The two back buttons are smartly placed where your fingers already rest, so you can press them without changing your grip. You can remap them or set them up as macros, which lets you do more without taking your thumbs off the sticks.

The GameSir app is where you do most of the tuning, and I found myself using it a lot. You can remap buttons, adjust stick dead zones and change vibration strength, and there are shortcuts on the controller itself for things like turbo, swapping A/B and X/Y, and turning on the Hair Trigger mode.

The faceplate is magnetic and pops off easily, and you can also swap the stick caps and the ABXY buttons. The box includes three extra stick caps, a 1.5 m USB-C cable, a sticker and the Fortnite item redemption card.

A Little Wobble in the Middle

My one real complaint is the center bridge. With nothing clamped into it, there's a slight wobble where the phone sits. It goes away as soon as you put a phone or Switch in, because the device holds everything firmly, but you notice it when you use the G8 Plus as a standalone controller. It's not a dealbreaker, but if you mostly want a standalone controller with a completely rigid feel, the G7 Pro 8K is the better choice.

FAQ

Built for Fortnite Fans Who Play Everywhere

The GameSir G8 Plus Fortnite Edition is a great-looking, well-made controller that works across nearly everything you might play Fortnite on. The engraved grips, the comfortable sticks and buttons, the useful back buttons and the strong connection make it easy to recommend. Pairing takes a little learning, and the bridge has a slight wobble on its own, but neither takes much away from how good it is to play with.

If you play on your phone, your iPad and your Switch, this is one controller that covers them all, and it looks the part doing it.