In a patent filed in Japan, Sony has given the world a first look at the possible design for the PlayStation 5’s version of the DualShock controller. Here’s your first look at what the controller will feature when it releases holiday season 2020.
With just around a year from its release, Sony has just filed a patent in Japan for the PlayStation 5’s upcoming iteration of the DualShock controller. The patent was first filed in Japan and approved earlier today (Nov. 18th, 2019). The patent comes shortly after Sony had confirmed their upcoming release of the PlayStation 5 during the Holiday 2020 holiday season.
As Sony is aiming to release side-by-side with their biggest competitor (Microsoft’s Xbox), Sony outlined several features players can expect including a brand-new controller, new user-interface, and even 4K gaming at its finest. However, while we know what the hardware will feature, including an SSD to ensure the smoothest gaming experience to date.
In today’s patent, we got our first glimpse of some of Sony’s newest features in there that includes the USB-C charging port, the removal of the DualShock 4’s lightbar sensor, and the brand new triggers and bumpers Sony mentioned in their original announcement they discussed with The Wire.
In the patent, we do get a first look at what features will remain from the current controller itself. First, let’s take a look at the first frontal picture of the presumably named DualShock 5 (this is not a confirmed name).
As you can see in the picture above, there are a few key features returning outside of the general layout of the DualShock 4 into this new iteration. First, we still have the 3.5mm touchpad, the controller itself as far as build is almost identical, meaning, you won’t see much change in the overall design. One big feature that is gone, is the lightbar, which means you won’t be seeing any visual indicators via your controller – at least at this time.
One of the next major features we’ll see more about is the controller’s haptic feedback, which they say, will be a more sophisticated system than previous “rumble effects” we’ve had in previous iterations. The game designers will be able to adjust the controller’s sensitivity in regards to feedback. This also means that the controller’s triggers will be designed to match the action that’s going on in-game itself, which means games like Call of Duty and Titanfall will feel quite different compared to how they do now.
Additionally, the USB-C charger port will replace the USB Micro-B Connection you’re used to now, making it a bit easier to charge your controller and even offer a chance to see more time disconnected from your console itself. This also means extended battery life.
Now one thing to remember is that the PlayStation 5 controller will work with PlayStation 4 games due to backward compatibility. However, it is worth wondering just how well these controllers will work with PlayStation 4 titles, which may need players to re-consider what controllers they have in the foreseeable future.
There’s already news of developers hard at work on games for PlayStation 5 including titles like the sequel to Horizon Zero Dawn and quite possibly the previously announced Ghost of Tsushima.
You can check out all the pictures out down below in order to prepare for the next-gen PlayStation console. Just note, that one does have a 3.5mm jack, but a slot for something else, making us wonder what else the PlayStation 5’s DualShock controller can do.
You can check out the patent that was filed in Japan in order to get a feel for what Sony has planned for the PlayStation 5.
About the Writer(s):
Dustin is our native console gamer, PlayStation and Nintendo reviewer who has an appetite for anything that crosses the borders from across the big pond. His interest in JRPG’s, Anime, Handheld Gaming, and Pizza is insatiable. His elitist attitude gives him direction, want, and a need for the hardest difficulties in games, which is fun to watch, and hilarity at its finest. You can find him over on Twitter or Facebook.