We may have got our first look at the upcoming PS5 controller, thanks to yet another leaked Sony patent.
Published by theJapanese patent office (via VGC), the Sony Interactive Entertainment patent lays out designs for a new controller that looks very similar to the DualShock 4.
The biggest detail from these images is what Sony doesn’t plan to change. Like the DualShock 4, it looks like the company’s new controller will feature symmetrical thumbsticks. The advantages and disadvantages of a symmetrical thumbstick layout compared to an asymmetrical one is one of those things PlayStation and Xbox fans like to debate endlessly.
That said, like with most patents and the line diagrams that accompany them, it’s best not to read too much into these images. While Wired said a prototype of Sony’s new controller looked “an awful lot like the PS4’s DualShock 4” in its recent exclusive on the upcoming console, it’s possible the final design could differ significantly from what we see here.
Whatever it ends up looking like, we at least have some details about the new capabilities of the controller. In the same Wired article mentioned above, Sony’s Mark Cerny said the peripheral will feature enhanced rumble and haptic feedback that will do a better job of conveying different tactile sensations to players. It will also include “adaptive” triggers that developers will be able to program to represent in-game tension and force, as well as a USB-C for charging.
Sony has also been open about other details related to its next console. In an earlier interview with Wired, Cerny said the device will feature a third-generation eight-core AMD Ryzen CPU complemented by a GPU that will be capable of ray-tracing. It will also include an SSD for faster load times. We’ll probably learn new details about the console in the coming months before its holiday release.
