Sony has confirmed that the PlayStation 5 will come with its own, next-generation controller that will launch alongside the console when it arrives during the 2020 holiday.
The reporters over at Techradar have compiled not just the original announcement – including haptic feedback, adaptive resistance, and form factor – but a lot of data involving rumors and speculation surrounding the upcoming controllers.
Controllers represent a big deal in the console market because they are the device that players use primarily to interact with games. The better the controller, the better the experience. In its own announcements regarding what to expect from the PS5 controller, Sony itself has related a desire to increase the immersion player’s feel when gaming.
What we know right now is that the upcoming PS5 controller does not diverge much from the Dualshock 4 controller form factor. Although some leaked drawings and conjecture do show that it might have some extra “back” buttons.
Haptic feedback refers to the ability to translate sensations similar to touch. This means that instead of “rumble” the Sony PlayStation 5 controller will be able to deliver more precise and lifelike taps, shakes, and buzzes in order to better simulate whatever devs need to throw at players.
The device is also expected to have adaptive resistance on the triggers. This means that devs will be able to program the triggers to either slide smoothly or fight the player depending on what they’re attempting to simulate. For example, the heavy trigger of a rifle might provide some level of resistance whereas the hair-trigger of a Saturday Night Special might pull back instantly.
This resistance has been incorporated into the L2 and R2 triggers.
During an interview with Business Insider Japan (translated by Gematsu) Sony International Entertainment Chief Executive Jim Ryan spoke about the reasons behind these changes.
“3D audio and the haptic feedback support of the controller are also things that, when you try them, you will be surprised at how big a change they are,” Ryan said. “Even just playing the racing game Gran Turismo Sport with a PlayStation 5 controller is a completely different experience. While it runs well with the previous controller, there is no going back after you experience the detailed road surface via haptic control and play using the adaptive triggers.”
As for its divergence from the Dualshock 4 form factor, the PS5 controller is expected to be slightly beefier. It will likely have a larger touchpad, back buttons, a built-in microphone (for the Alexa age), and smaller sticks. The PS5 controller will probably also lack the lightbar.
Right now, the PS4 controller sells for around $50 so analysts are predicting that the PlayStation 5 controller will probably be $70 when it first debuts. There is no confirmed price for the controllers so they could end up being cheaper.
Techradar has further details including leaked images, speculation, and other bric-a-brac related to the controllers, but we can expect that Sony will be releasing more information – now that they’ve gotten the logo out of the way.
Image: Pixabay
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