Aside from a weak battery and fragile material on its analog sticks, the DualShock 4 is one of the best controllers Sony has ever made for a PlayStation console. Sony seems to agree with us on this point, as images filed in the Japanese patent office show what appears to be an extremely similar design for the PlayStation 5.
The images, which were just published this week and were first filed through the office back in March, show a controller form factor almost completely identical to the DualShock 4. The directional pad, face buttons, and analog sticks are all in the same positions, as are the Share and Options buttons, touchpad, and shoulder buttons. A microphone is also mentioned in the filing text, which would be a new feature not found on the PS4. It isn’t unheard of in gaming, however, with the Wii U, DS, and 3DS all including built-in microphones for gaming and chat.
It’s possible the simple drawings shown in the patent office images could be misleading, but the PS5’s potential controller also appears to be just slightly bulkier than its predecessor — coming closer to the Xbox design that has been more widely copied over the years. Microsoft’s controller lacks some of the bells and whistle of Sony’s, with no touch support, light bar, or speaker, but its haptic feedback in the trigger make for intense shooter and racing gameplay. It also boasts much better battery life, with AA support in place of a built-in rechargeable design.
From previous interviews, we already know that a better speaker will be included in the PS5’s controller, which does not yet have an official name. It will have an “adaptive trigger” that makes use of advanced haptic feedback, with the controller ditching traditional rumble in order to offer more nuanced experiences. This feedback can also carry over to the analog sticks to simulate resistance when moving through different environments, like grass or snow.
We’ll almost certainly hear more concrete details on the PS5’s controller as we move into 2020. The console is officially planned to launch during the 2020 holiday season, as is the Xbox system currently known as Project Scarlett.
