is an editor covering deals and gaming hardware. He joined in 2018, and after a two-year stint at Polygon, he rejoined The Verge in May 2025.
Posts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.
8BitDo hasn’t rushed to offer big discounts on its 2025 controllers, including the new Ultimate 2 wireless gamepad made for Switch, Switch 2, and PC. But now’s a good time to consider getting one, as there’s a rare $10 off deal available at Amazon ahead of October Prime Day, which kicks off next Tuesday. The white version is $59.99 (originally $69.99), while the black version is $62.99 when you clip the coupon on its product page.
This is one of the best controllers out there. The second iteration boasts a handful of improvements, like the switch from Hall effect joysticks to more power-efficient tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) ones. 8BitDo also added trigger stops, so you can alternate between a full pull, or a shorter, clickier pull of either trigger.
You may or may not get a ton of mileage out of its additional pair of shoulder buttons, as well as its LED-equipped joystick rings, but they’re there if you want more flexibility. (If you’d rather have a controller with a PlayStation-style stick layout, plus removable buttons, and all of the same features of the Ultimate 2, check out 8BitDo’s Pro 3, which is also $7 off and $63 at Amazon.)
Verge Deals Sign up for Verge Deals to get deals on products we’ve tested sent to your inbox weekly. Email (required) Sign Up By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.