While we still have yet to get a look at the PlayStation 5 hardware, Sony did, at the very least, take a small step with their next-generation console today with the unveiling of its new PlayStation 5 DualSense controller.
DualSense?
That’s right. Instead of being called DualShock, it’s now under the name DualSense. Senior vice president of platform planning and management Hideaki Nishino explained this further in a PlayStation Blog post.
With the controller, he’s hoping audiences will “hear our vision for how the new controller will captivate more of your senses as you interact with the virtual worlds in PS5 games. The features of DualSense, along with PS5’s Tempest 3D AudioTech, will deliver a new feeling of immersion to players.”
So how is it?
Based on the first images, the DualSense controller looks a little…spacey. It has a design similar to the DualShock 4 controller, but the Touchpad is more integrated into the controller itself, with glowing streamlines on the sides. The D-pad and buttons also look to be a little more “mushy,” probably easier to use with games that will utilize them. There’s also a smaller Home button on the bottom of the controller, a bigger PlayStation logo, and an overall black-and-white look (with a bit of blue) that makes it stand out compared to other controllers.
There’s also 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,” according to the blog.
It also has haptic feedback, a much-requested feature that’s been a big hit with Xbox One controllers. That’s some good news.
Wait, no Share button?!
The ”Share” button has also been replaced, but with a new “Create” button. According to Nishino, “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.”
The company went through “several concepts and hundreds of mockups” to get to this final design. It’s…creative, to say the least. But whether it can hold up compared to the DualShock 4 has yet to be seen. Sony did promise we would eventually get our hands-on with it.
It does mark a “radical departure” from traditional controller design, that’s for sure. But is it enough for gamers? We’ll have to see when we eventually get around to playing it later this year.
