The video game controller, as a concept, has evolved quite a bit since its first round of designs. Originally resembling TV remotes, controllers would then transition into more of a joystick design, used for PCs and the Atari 2600. Then, with the advent of the Nintendo Entertainment System, the controller market would be changed forever. Controllers would now follow the same general design, with a few face buttons on the right, and a D-pad on the left. Sony's DualShock brought analog sticks to the table, and that's essentially been the design since. Though Sony's new DualSense Edge controller may change up the dynamic once more.
Announced at Gamescom Opening Night Live, Sony is bringing an official pro controller to the market. Named the DualSense Edge, this PlayStation 5 controller has all of the same bells and whistles as its standard DualSense counterpart, but comes with a slew of new features, ranging from back buttons to adjustable analog sticks. But Sony isn't the first in the market to do this. A few years ago, Xbox made its own Elite controller, and there are a few things the DualSense Edge could learn from it.
What The DualSense Edge Can Learn From The Xbox Elite
The first Xbox Elite controller launched in 2015, and made waves in a very particular subsection of fans. With a sleek new hexagonal D-pad, multiple different analog stick options, back buttons, and the ability to tighten the triggers, the Xbox Elite controller was truly something special, but it never really made a sizable impact on the mainstream market. While hardcore, competitive gamers bought into the controller immediately, for mainstream audiences, the $150 price tag was just too high.
This still rings true today. Xbox released its Elite controller Series 2 back in 2019, and it's much of the same story. For everyone that's already invested in the controller, they say it's truly one of the best premium gamepads out there, but that doesn't stop it from being $180, and mainstream players just aren't going to spend that much on a peripheral.
It's vital that Sony learns from the Xbox Elite controller, and in particular, its steep price tag. While the technology in the DualSense Edge is probably just as advanced as the Xbox Elite Series 2, it would be a smart move for Sony to be aggressive with its pricing, and release the DualSense Edge at a lower price than its competition. Even if it's just $30 lower, gamers are much more likely to spend $150 on a competitive controller than $180.
Regardless of price, the DualSense Edge also needs to offer the same level of customization as its Xbox Elite competition. For those spending so much on a controller, they want to be able to customize every last detail, from the resistance of the controller, to the dead zones of the analog sticks. Based on the information on the PlayStation Blog, it seems as though the DualSense Edge will offer a similar level of hardcore customization, offering button mapping, multiple user profiles, and even a Fn button that allows the user to switch their profiles on the fly. The DualSense Edge certainly seems to be a premium product, and it's about time that Sony launched its own official competitor to the Xbox Elite. Hopefully it can reach the same lofty heights as it.