Death Stranding 2 Backbone Controllers Available Now

Functionally, this is the same Gen 2 Backbone One controller that works with iPhone (iOS 15+) and Android (10.0+) devices with USB-C. You can use it for PS Remote Play to stream Death Stranding 2 when it launches in 2025, or any other mobile/cloud gaming. The aluminum buttons are the main upgrade over the standard $99 model.

The Death Stranding 2 edition transforms the standard Backbone One into something that looks like it was pulled from Sam Porter Bridges’ backpack. Blue translucent plastic, yellow accents matching the game’s color scheme, aluminum D-pad and buttons for that premium feel. It comes in an individually numbered hard case that doubles as a display piece, plus a collector’s tag and quick start card.

The first Death Stranding Backbone from January 2024 retailed for $125 and initially saw strong resale interest. StockX shows the last sale at $164, with current asks around $200. That’s not bad, but it’s also not the moonshot some resellers expected from a 1,350-unit run.

The gaming controller market is weird. Limited editions from major collabs (PlayStation, Xbox special editions) tend to hold value better than third-party accessories, even premium ones like Backbone. Plus, anyone can still buy this at retail price right now from the UK store, which kills the urgency for resale buyers.

This is a final sale item with no refunds or exchanges. If you buy to flip and the secondary market doesn’t materialize, you’re stuck with a $160 mobile gaming controller. The standard Backbone One sells for $99, so you’re paying $60 extra purely for the Death Stranding 2 theme and numbered case.

Early eBay listings are asking $220-250 for the Death Stranding 2 version. A few Japanese sellers have them up around $350 with international shipping included. Problem is, there’s not enough sold data yet to confirm whether buyers will actually pay these prices or if sellers are just testing the waters.

Shipping doesn’t start until late November, meaning you won’t have the product in hand to list and ship for probably 3-4 weeks. By then, hype could cool off significantly. The timing also means you’re competing with Black Friday deals on regular gaming gear, which might pull buyer attention away from premium resale items.

If you’re a Death Stranding superfan who’ll actually use this controller, buying at retail makes sense. If you’re purely looking to flip, the current early asking prices of $220-250 would net you roughly $40-60 profit after eBay’s 13% fees and shipping costs. That’s not terrible, but it requires finding buyers willing to pay 50-75% over retail for a controller that’s technically still in stock.

The original Death Stranding Backbone included a free game code worth $20-40, which helped justify the premium. This version doesn’t include the game, making the value proposition weaker for both collectors and resellers.