While the console’s design is still a closely guarded secret, Sony has finally had the guts to show off some of its next-generation hardware. The first component out of the gate is the DualSense – the official controller of the PlayStation 5.
The first thing you’ll probably notice is the two-toned design – apparently, Sony’s designers have been playing a lot of Portal and/or looking at Microsoft’s Xbox One S for inspiration, as it features a white and grayish color combination with blue highlighting. Some gamers have already begun commenting on how ugly it is, which doesn’t bode well for the PlayStation 5’s design (is the console going to be two-toned, too?).
Going beyond aesthetics, Sony noted that one of the DualSense’s biggest features (as its name might suggest) is haptic feedback. This “adds a variety of powerful sensations you’ll feel when you play, such as the slow grittiness of driving a car through mud,” Hideaki Nishino (Senior Vice President, Platform Planning & Management) explained. “We also incorporated adaptive triggers into the L2 and R2 buttons of DualSense so you can truly feel the tension of your actions, like when drawing a bow to shoot an arrow.”
The controller also flaunts newly designed adaptive triggers that should be even more comfortable to use than the DualShock 4’s. “In the end, we changed the angle of the hand triggers and also made some subtle updates to the grip,” Nishino said. Additionally, the DualSense weighs less and should last longer on a single charge. “We also took thoughtful consideration into ways to maintain a strong battery life for DualSense’s rechargeable battery, and to lessen the weight of the controller as much as possible as new features were added.”
Last but not least is the inclusion of an all-new “Create” button that replaces the DualShock 4’s Share button, as well as a built-in microphone array that lets users chat without a headset.
“DualSense marks a radical departure from our previous controller offerings and captures just how strongly we feel about making a generational leap with PS5,” said Jim Ryan, President and CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment.
“The new controller, along with the many innovative features in PS5, will be transformative for games – continuing our mission at PlayStation to push the boundaries of play, now and in the future. To the PlayStation community, I truly want to thank you for sharing this exciting journey with us as we head toward PS5’s launch in Holiday 2020. We look forward to sharing more information about PS5, including the console design, in the coming months.”