The next generation of video game consoles are still slated to hit shelves later this year, and on Tuesday, Sony shared details about what will be in the sweaty hands of gamers on the PlayStation side of the console war.
Sony shared images and details about its “DualSense” controller for the PlayStation 5 on Tuesday, continuing the “Dual” naming convention and emphasizing touch sensitivity in a lengthy blog post about its features and design inspiration.
The DualSense controller is rounder than past PlayStation paddles and has “adaptive triggers” which can be adjusted to increase of decrease their sensitivity. The rumble technology you know and love from controllers of the past is replaced here by haptic feedback as well. Some design elements from the PS4 controller remain, like the center touchpad and a moved but still intact light bar. The controller is charged via USB-C, which is great for anyone who is looking to ditch the USB micro cables they may still have for some legacy devices.
One interesting note on the controller is that it will feature a quick-share function with some still-to-be-announced features.
For the buttons, you’ll notice there is no longer a “Share” button as we had with DualShock 4. Don’t worry – it’s not going away. In fact, we’ve built upon the success of our industry-first Share button to bring you a new “Create” button feature. With Create, we’re once again pioneering new ways for players to create epic gameplay content to share with the world, or just to enjoy for themselves. We’ll have more details on this feature as we get closer to launch.
It’s certainly a good idea, as the screenshot button on the Nintendo Switch has made it extremely easy to snap and share moments from Switch games online. It’s a big reason why you’re seeing so much Animal Crossing: New Horizons content out there, and so the ubiquity of that sharing is certainly something Sony is aware of. It also seems to understand the importance of a microphone in online games, and that sometimes you might be a bit too lazy to track down your headset, which is why it has a microphone built-in.
DualSense also adds a built-in microphone array, which will enable players to easily chat with friends without a headset – ideal for jumping into a quick conversation. But of course, if you are planning to chat for a longer period, it’s good to have that headset handy.
The movement of the joysticks is certainly the thing that will stand out to most gamers initially, but it’s hard to say how the controller will feel until it’s in your hands. That won’t happen for another few months, though, so for now looking over specs and wondering is the best we’ll do.