Fans are likely one year away from the start of the next generation of consoles, and while neither Microsoft or Sony have been incredibly detailed in its plans, information about both consoles has slowly arrived. Sony, in particular, has been more than willing to share some information regarding the PlayStation 5 and its next generation controller.
Although it isn't officially known as the DualShock 5 as many fans expect it will be yet, Sony doesn't appear to be sitting back and resting on a design that has been proven over multiple consoles. Based on information Sony has provided as well as numerous leaks and rumors, the new controller looks to be an improvement over its predecessors in many areas.
Still, there's a lot of information to sort through online, so here's a compiled list of all of the confirmed, leaked, and rumored details for the new PlayStation 5 controller.
The Confirmed
Sony has spent a lot of time detailing elements of the actual console itself, while keeping many aspects of the controller quiet. However, the company has confirmed a few important details.
Haptic Feedback and Better Audio Speakers
One of the bigger confirmations for the currently unnamed PS5 controller is the inclusion of Haptic Feedback, which is simply a fancy term for better vibration. The goal with Haptic Feedback is to provide players with better feedback to what's happening on screen through rumbling from the right and left grips of the controller. When paired with the audio capabilities through the improved controller speaker, Sony is hoping to really impact what it feels and sounds like to move through different types of surfaces in games.
In the demo Mark Cerny showed off, moving through sand felt and sounded very different than it was to run around on ice or wade through mud.
Adaptive Triggers
The other major piece to Sony's previous reveal is the inclusion of adaptive triggers. These can be programmed by game designers to better react to different things in the game. The example previously given was how different in-game weapons could feel. With the new adaptive triggers, pulling the string back on a bow could make them feel more tight, allowing the player to feel the tension and resistance they'd expect from pulling back on an actual bow string. The new triggers could also benefit games like Call of Duty in helping the various guns feel different from one another when pulling the trigger.
USB-C
Sony is also changing up the port from the DualShock 4 which currently uses a USB-B for charging. The PS5 controller is moving to USB-C instead. Type C has caught on more recently and offers a few benefits over its counterparts including increased data transfer speeds and power delivery. The connector piece is on the smaller side and is reversible which should make plugging it in much easier than trying to figure out which end goes where.
The Leaked
These next features have seemingly leaked a bit earlier than Sony would have liked. While they seem to be confirmed due to the documents and patents they're listed on, none have been outright confirmed by Sony, so everything could change between now and when these controllers are officially revealed.
The Light Bar
Earlier this week, a new patent for the PS5 controller leaked out and may have accidentally revealed a few things previously unknown to fans. One such revelation is that the light bar from the DualShock 4 will not be coming back.
While not confirmed, the removal of the light bar could have a negative impact on VR, which relied upon it for tracking purposes along with the Move controllers. Considering how passionate Sony seems to be with its PlayStation VR offerings, there's likely another shoe to drop like a new peripheral or feature to make up for the missing light bar.
Controller Design
The patent also provided a bit more insight into the look and feel of the actual controller. While the controller shape is largely the same as it has always been, it appears to be thicker than normal with larger grips and shorter sticks. Speaking of sticks, the patent also shows that these analog sticks are not quite as high as they currently are on the DualShock 4.
Buttons and Other Features
Finally, the patent also indicates that Sony doesn't intend to reinvent the wheel when it comes to the placement and design of its buttons. The directional pad, touchpad, and classic 4 buttons all remain intact and placed where fans expect them. The patent also shows the Share and Option button, as well as a built-in microphone.
The Rumored
New consoles are no strangers to rumors and with Sony continuing to hold back from a full reveal, the internet has attempted to fill in the knowledge gaps. Here are all of the unconfirmed rumors surrounding the PlayStation 5.
Touch screen
A published patent in 2018 from Sony set the community ablaze as it featured what appears to be a controller with a touch screen component. Many expect the touchscreen to be a replacement and evolution for the current touchpad element from the DualShock 4. It's also possible that this patent is simply intended to be kept on file just in case the company has plans for the distant future or a potential new SKU during the PS5's lifetime.
The patent itself doesn't specifically mention the PlayStation 5, but it hasn't stopped fans from speculating as to what something like this could mean for the next-generation.
Voice Activated AI
This is a subject that Sony appears unwilling to discuss as it has been brought up during both PlayStation 5 demonstrations. While still unconfirmed, the speculation revolves around a Siri or Alexa type AI that players can utilize while playing games on the PlayStation 5. Known as PlayStation Assist, the idea is that players could ask the AI to help them find in-game items, provide hints at where to go, or other helpful solutions similar to what a strategy guide would offer. The AI would utilize Sony specific servers to find the information and present it to the player.
Apparently, this helpful AI assistant would also be available through a PlayStation mobile app, where players could also pull up stats and other data for their gaming habits. Sony has been silent on this topic, though people who have seen the development kit controller report that it does have a strange button on it which could fit the bill for this feature. Not only that, the fact that the controller may have a built-in microphone goes a long way to potentially confirming this feature as well.
The PlayStation 5 releases in Holiday 2020.