fbpx

Meet The DualSense, PlayStation 5’s New Wireless Controller

The gloves are finally coming off, as PlayStation and Sony have pulled back the curtain on their next-generation controller. Introducing the gorgeous looking and sleek DualSense wireless controller, the new gamepad for the upcoming PS5.

The DualSense is meant to “deliver a new feeling of immersion to players,” and together with PS5’s Tempest 3D AudioTech, everything will feel like a unique experience.

Advertisement ▼

The solid foundation of the DualShock 4 meant that the DualSense was a refinement of the line of design. After discussions with developers, PlayStation “concluded that the sense of touch within gameplay, much like audio, hasn’t been a big focus for many games.” That will soon change with the haptic feedback added to the DualSense, alongside the adaptive triggers of L2 and R2. Feel the tension as you drive through the mud, or pull back an arrow on the bow.

New features do not mean the DualSense will get too bulky or too far away from PlayStation’s design aesthetic.

Our design team worked closely with our hardware engineers to place the triggers and actuators. The designers were then able to draw the lines of how the exterior of the controller would look and feel, with a challenge of making the controller feel smaller than it really looks. In the end, we changed the angle of the hand triggers and also made some subtle updates to the grip.

Battery life was also a focal point, so expect the DualSense to have it decent in that department. The weight of the controller has also been lessened as much as possible even with the new bells and whistles.

Instead of the Share button, that has now been replaced by the Create button. This will give players new ways to create content through their gameplay, with more details to come about its full-fledged abilities.

If you are not a fan of headsets, the DualSense will also have a built-in microphone array, allowing for easy chatting or a quick conversation. Of course, the audio quality will be much better with a dedicated 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. 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

Jim Ryan, President & CEO, Sony Interactive Entertainment

On the exterior, the DualSense loses the singular colour that has been the trademark of controllers for PlayStation. Now, it features a two-toned design, with the light bar now being more minimalist, located to the side of the touch pad instead.

A fan-made colourway that’s more familiar

This final design has been the work of many concepts and hundreds of mockups, and has been tested by a wide range of gamers with different hand sizes. The ergonomics are there, the comfort is there, and the DualSense should feel like a natural extension of players while they are playing.

Just from the look of it, the DualSense sure looks futuristic, with clean lines and a clear colour profile.

The analog sticks remain distinctly different in terms of position, continuing PlayStation’s legacy of the parallel sticks. The familiar cross, square, triangle, and circle buttons return, same goes for the D-pad. The triggers definitely look more pronounced than before. No back paddles can be seen just yet, since we never actually got to see the back of the DualSense.

Could this be the definitive PlayStation controller? We will find out soon enough when the PS5 launches this Holiday 2020 with the DualSense. We can already imagine the many colourways that will soon adorn our collection.