Google is preparing one of the most significant updates to Android’s mobile gaming capabilities in years, aiming to improve how games are played on smartphones. With the upcoming Android 17 (Cinnamon Bun) release, the company plans to introduce native system-level button remapping, bringing the mobile gaming experience closer to that of dedicated handheld devices such as the Nintendo Switch, ASUS ROG Ally, and other Android-based gaming hardware.
Currently, Android can detect input from physical controllers, but it does not provide built-in tools for remapping buttons. Players must rely on individual games to offer customization options or use third-party apps that often operate as workarounds. Android 17 appears set to change this by providing an official, unified solution. According to findings from Android Authority in the latest Android Canary build, the system includes a new internal permission called CONTROLLER_REMAPPING, suggesting that full button-remapping support is being integrated directly into the operating system.
Google is also developing a dedicated “Controls” menu within the Android Settings app. Although this feature is not yet enabled, it is expected to become a central hub for managing connected controllers and adjusting button layouts. This would give users a consistent place to configure all compatible devices, rather than relying on app-specific solutions.
Another notable feature in development is a virtual gamepad integrated at the system level. This software-based controller would sit between the physical gamepad and the game itself, allowing Android to intercept input, remap the commands, and send them in a format the game can understand. The virtual controller aims to replicate all standard components of a modern gamepad, including ABXY buttons, Start and Select buttons, a Mode button, L1/R1 and L2/R2 triggers (including analog trigger support), full joysticks with L3/R3 clicks, and a D-pad.
Beyond remapping, this virtual gamepad system could enable a more advanced function: translating touchscreen gestures into physical controller inputs. This would allow players to use a controller in games that currently do not support gamepads at all, greatly expanding compatibility across the Android gaming ecosystem.
According to Android Authority, these enhancements would benefit not only smartphones, but also Android-based PCs and devices running Google Play Games for PC. If fully implemented, Android 17 may significantly streamline and enhance gaming experiences across a wide range of hardware.
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