Introducing DualSense, the New Wireless Game Controller for PlayStation 5

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Introducing DualSense, the New Wireless Game Controller for PlayStation 5

See the first images of DualSense, which will bring the sense of touch to PS5 gameplay.

We’ve reached an exciting milestone with PlayStation 5, as we’re starting to ship our new controller in its final design to developers who are implementing its unique features into their games. But first, we wanted everyone in the PlayStation community to get a first look at the DualSense™ wireless controller, and 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.

When PS4 launched in 2013, the DualShock 4 wireless controller garnered a lot of positive feedback from gamers and developers for being the best PlayStation controller yet, and for introducing forward-looking features like the Share button. This brought us to the next question – how do we build upon that success?

After thoughtful consideration, we decided to keep much of what gamers love about DualShock 4 intact, while also adding new functionality and refining the design. Based on our discussions with developers, we concluded that the sense of touch within gameplay, much like audio, hasn’t been a big focus for many games. We had a great opportunity with PS5 to innovate by offering game creators the ability to explore how they can heighten that feeling of immersion through our new controller. This is why we adopted haptic feedback, which adds a variety of powerful sensations you’ll feel when you play, such as the slow grittiness of driving a car through mud. We also incorporated adaptive triggers into the L2 and R2 buttons of DualSense so you can truly feel the tension of your actions, like when drawing a bow to shoot an arrow.

This provided us with an exciting challenge to design a new controller that builds off of the current generation, while taking into account the new features we were adding. For example, with adaptive triggers, we had to consider how the components would fit into the hardware, without giving it a bulky feeling. 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. We also took thoughtful consideration into ways to maintain a strong battery life for DualSense’s rechargeable battery, and to lessen the weight of the controller as much as possible as new features were added.

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.

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.

Now, let’s talk about the colors. Traditionally our base controllers have a single color. As you can see, we went a different direction this time around, and decided on a two-toned design. Additionally, we changed the position of the light bar that will give it an extra pop. On DualShock 4, it sat on the top of the controller; now it sits at each side of the touch pad, giving it a slightly larger look and feel.

In all, we went through several concepts and hundreds of mockups over the last few years before we settled on this final design. DualSense has been tested by a wide range of gamers with a variety of hand sizes, in order for us to achieve the comfort level we wanted, with great ergonomics. Our goal with DualSense is to give gamers the feeling of being transported into the game world as soon as they open the box. We want gamers to feel like the controller is an extension of themselves when they’re playing – so much so that they forget that it’s even in their hands!

We are thrilled about sharing the final look of the DualSense controller with our fans, and we can’t wait for everyone to get their hands on it! I’d like to close with a message from SIE President & CEO Jim Ryan to the community:


“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

“DualSense” is a registered trademark or trademark of Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.

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1,751 Comments

  • bomb88-ifeoluwao

    I’m soo stoked can’t wait to see what you guys have done I remember when I was this stoked to see the Dualshock 4

  • It looks nice, kinda wish the PS logo was white though. You can barely see it (classic coloured symbols would be nice too)

  • The controller looks like a Xbox controller as far as bigness

  • I just hope it also comes in all black, white does really look cheap. Don’t want to have to hide these things when not playing if they look ugly.

  • Looks good but please keep a monotone option. Those who want two tone can buy skins. Or create a skin for monotone with this two-tone design

  • I like it but… SONY PLEASE PUT THE CLASSICAL COLORS ON THOSE COLORLESS FACE BUTTONS.

  • LEFT__4__DEAD__2

    I am very excited! will get PS5 eventually 😷

  • Truly amazing design! <3

  • The Black and White contrast is awful and hard to look at, at least it has nothing to do with how well it works but I hate it. As for the rest of the design, cool new features but I hope this new form won’t make it feel more like another controller and less like a Dualshock. I’ll need to hold one myself to be sure but I’m skeptical of this new design compared to the solid 23 years old veteran Dualshock.

  • Maybe we could’ve gotten a controller with all black or all white instead of having controllers with two different colors. I wish you also showed some other colors.

  • PLEASE! An ALL WHITE version .. except L & R: 1,2 and 3. EXCELLENT WORK.

  • I’m so hyped for the PS5, can’t wait to see the work Sony did this year.

  • Awesome!!!! Please come in classic color scheme as well!

  • I wish I could use the current Share button! Facebook shares disappeared with no thorough explanation OR if it would come back at all. I liked sharing screenshots and clips. Especially with Sharefactory. Please bring it back. Other than that, the Dualsense looks great.

  • Nice. Now show us the entire controller from all sides. And tell us about the features. We’re all already buying PS5, either at launch or thereafter. No need to play so coy.

  • That feature will get used as much as TouchPad did which is very very little. THINK carefully before you buy a PlayStation 5. It’s hundreds of pounds/dollars for something which is only iteratively better and ultimately is STATIC. They can’t make it better. It’s sub level current tech… You will have to buy another when the pro comes out (which it will in about 2-3 years) when the 6 comes out… when the 7 comes out… on and on and on…. Streaming will provide us with access anywhere, connected AT the service centre, mental amounts of processing power, instantaneous “install” after purchase… It costs at the moment, it WILL be free… Think carefully.

  • Sony is always impressing me i really like the new controller if the system is the same color im ok with it can’t wait thanks again sony for the controller reveal not to soon not probably a system reveal in the summer i think they did good with with i hope everyone is happy like i am with it.

  • Not sure if im feeling it. Kind of reminding me of xbox controllers (bulky ). I love the dualshock 4 controllers especially when playing gta 5 with colors flashing from the controller when being chased by cops.(especially playing at night). I can deal with the new controller, but i hope that i can connect a dualshock 4 and my sony gold headset to the ps5. Super excited for the ps5 though , confused with this controller.

  • I’ll be waiting for the “ps4” style controller to be made for the ps5. This new one looks about as comfortable as a brick to hold with unneeded features.

  • Brown1235collins

    Wow I like it

  • It looks cool but within a few weeks of getting it, the white areas are going to be permanently stained by greasy, filthy fingers covered in Cheeto dust and God knows what else. The white is a terrible idea, trust me.

  • The haptic feedback looks interesting, but I hope they offer a slimmer, smaller version for those of us with smaller than average hands. Even the DS4 already stretches my fingers enough where using my middle ones to handle L2/R2 is an uncomfortable position unlike the previous controllers, and that’s the only complaint I have with otherwise a perfect design. I’d gladly take a haptic-less, slimmer version if available.

    I know that some third-party manufacturers might offer that, but I’ve yet to find a controller manufacturer I trust more than Sony, so I’d be willing to pay the premium price they normally charge for something like that.

    • See, I have the exact opposite problem where my hands have always been too big for playstation controllers. Maybe they could offer a smaller size along with this larger one!

    • Oh, I know plenty of people who always say that Dualshocks are too small and I can see them liking this new one better, I just hope us smaller-handed brethren can also have something that fits our needs.

  • oh boi

  • I like it!

  • After reading around and getting some opinions, here is my perspective:

    1. Does it have a headphone jack? If not, and it only supports bluetooth, that is a horrible mistake.
    2. I for one really like the two-tone design, as well as light bar placement. It was annoying seeing the reflection of the lightbar in my TV screen.
    3. Why have a microphone on a controller? Wouldn’t that send out a bunch of loud noises from the clicking buttons and clacking analog sticks?
    4. The face buttons need to be colored again. Not having that iconic Blue, Pink, Green and Red makes this controller not FEEL like PlayStation. I understand they want to take a big leap with this, but the rest of the design does that, having grey, boring looking buttons does not.

  • It looks bulky and like an Xbox controller. Not a fan of the built-in mic, don’t want nor need it. Any plans for a mic-free edition? Too many privacy concerns with Sony having access to a mic.

  • Still no turbo button feature? Overall, I love the design: looks sleek, seems like it will fit well into the hands. But it’s AGAIN going to take a third party company to make a controller mod with turbo features? REALLY don’t want to pay an additional $40 for a controller mod that helps the vast majority of games out there. As it stands right now with the design and new features: 8.2/10. Add turbo please. :)

  • It Looks Amazing! :O I LOVE IT!

  • Xbox controller, please go back to traditional controllers

  • If it charges with a USB Type C then it’s perfect to me.

  • I would have liked it more if the bottom part was black (not the old-fashioned dark gray), so that it would contrast better with the white frame.

  • If anyone at Sony knows anything about this please let me know. Will racing wheels like the Fanatec CSL Elite work on the PS5? I was thinking of getting a new wheel but i want to be sure that it works with the PS5. Thanks.

  • I’ve been a PlayStation fan since the PSOne. Each generation has felt new and improved, always giving a new feel while still retaining the PlayStation feel. I am glad to see that this is continuing and cannot wait to get my hands on this new beast.

  • Please Sony give us a more significant controller in terms of size :) I mean, I like the current one, but my hands are not sitting comfortably on it. But I really like the design 🤯🤯🤯🤯

  • Wow can’t wait to see what the ps5 will look like😊

  • I don’t like it at all. Looks too much like an Xbox controller. White gets dirty easily. PS button is weird. Huge miss here. Y’all should have it shipped back and start over.

  • I liked the light on ds4. It helped me find things in the dark….
    I’m trying to not like this controller…. But I like it.

  • I wish you guys did the controller slimmer like the ps4 controller

  • Looks amazing!!!! Keep up the great work and forget what the doubters think! If they didn’t like the DS4 design then they won’t like anything! Keep this design!! Beautiful!

  • Not a big fan of the two tone design or the lack of colored PlayStation buttons but that’s a minor complaint. There will be plenty of alternative colors down the line. Most important is the functionality and it sounds like they’ve packed the controller full of excellent new tech. The haptic feedback and adaptive triggers are great additions.

  • Also, please add USB-C support!!!

  • Headphone jack?

  • Looks terrible. If I wanted a Xbox controller I would have bought a Xbox not a ps5. Sort ya self out ment to be best. Console in the world At least make it one colour Or make the ps5 whit on top and black on bottom sort ya self out sony

  • Since they use white, I hope the plastic will not oxidate and turn yellow. It looks familiar enough.
    I worry more about PS5 overheating, manufacturing quality of its inner parts and retro-compatibility. I have PS1 and PS2 discs, plus I always wanted to play Metal Gear 4 (PS3 exclusive). Not supporting PS1-3 is a huge letdown. The direct competitor supports full retro-compatibility.

  • No extra buttons? That’s a bummer. I was really expecting L4 n R4 around the back side.

    That’s too bad. Next gen should have had extra buttons for us to use.

  • As a one handed gamer I’m worried about pressing the touchpad down accidently bringing up unwanted menus in the middle of play even more than on my duelshock 4 before I modded it. The controller does look really nice and cool though, really new and modern! 😀

  • Its amazing how ridiculous that controller is. Obviously the Devs are Xbox fans

  • looks like a madkatz after market POS. Come on Sony do better. Choose a different color white consoles and controller are so 2006

  • My guess is that Sony hasn’t revealed the back (including the almost-certain back buttons on the controller) because they don’t want the people that bought the DS4 Back Button Attachment to feel like they wasted their money investing on a product that’s going out. It’s a great strategy, though, and certainly one that allows a future marketing strategy against the X rivals since those buttons could be what makes some people choose PlayStation over a potentially more powerful X console.

  • ProSUPREME_GOAT3

    AMAZING!

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