Sony has just very unexpectedly introduced a new controller for the upcoming Sony PlayStation 5 game console. Meet, this is DualSense. Yes, not DualShock 5, but DualSense without any number.
In October last year, the corporation said that the new gamepad will rely on innovative point vibration and the dynamic severity of pulling the trigger, but no one expected that in the end we would see such drastic changes in the design.
- The Share button will change to Create
- The gamepad has a microphone for voice chat
- Reused internal battery
- The PlayStation button is now in the shape of the PlayStation logo
- The gamepad has a 3.5-inch headphone jack
- The light panel has been moved – now it is located on the sides of the touch panel
- USB Type-C connection.
The novelty is so different from its predecessors that Sony decided not to call it DualShock. At the same time, the design is final. He went through many iterations and tests for different groups of gamers with different hand sizes.
According to the manufacturer, DualSense will transfer players to the virtual world from the “first touch”, but at the same time it will feel like an organic “continuation” of the game.
And yes, the gamepad will be two-color – apparently, the PlayStation 5 will be made in a similar style.
DualSense design
the design, as it is he who surprises the most. All the leaks and rumors indicated that the new gamepad, firstly, would be called DualShock 5, and secondly, it would not be very different from DualShock 4, and this would be quite normal, since for many DualShock 4 is a reference.
However, as you can see, the new Sony console will receive a completely new gamepad. If you look at it from above, it seems that this is something between the modern controllers of the PlayStation and Xbox, but from other angles the continuity is still traced more strongly.
The shape and location of the main keys have not changed so much, although you can see that the cursor buttons are now slightly different, and the buttons to the right are visually as if a little further apart. The touchpad has been preserved and has become a little larger. Because of this, the Options and Create buttons have slightly changed their location. The latter replaced the Share button, but more on that later. The PlayStation button is now in the form of a console logo.
Of course, the gamepad has changed not only externally. DualSense has a built-in array of microphones and a new feedback technology, that is, vibration. One of the main innovations that will really change the feel of the gameplay is the availability of adaptive triggers L2 and R2. That is, the effort when clicking on them will change, depending on the situation – we wrote about this a few months ago, analyzing the next patent and rumors.
Sony did not disclose the overall dimensions, but noted a number of nuances. As stated in a press release, the engineers had the task of making the gamepad so that it felt more compact and easier than it looks. Of the remaining, it is worth noting the built-in battery and USB-C port.
But there is another detail – the controller is two-color, and Sony mentioned this in a press release. Perhaps this is done because the Sony PlayStation 5 itself will be made in the same colors.
Dualsense LED indication
Now the LED indication is located in the form of side strips and it is convenient. Previously, you had to look at the back side in order to notice the discharge in time, or track the LED backlight in different video games if you are not playing at night. One of the purposes of the indicator is to synchronize with the PS VR helmet , since the second version will appear in 2020-2021.
Dualsense vs Dualshock 4
Compared to DualShock 4, DualSense has slightly changed the angle of the trigger and adjusted the shape of the handles. Although the gamepad has several additional features, battery life will not decrease at least.
Employees of the Sony gaming division have already tested DualSense – a lot of players participated in it. The company claims that the gamepad is perfectly in the hand of any size and will be able to “give a feeling of complete immersion from the first minutes of the game.”
The controller no longer has the Share button, which debuted in DualShock 4. It was replaced by the Create button: Sony promises that it will open up new possibilities for players to create truly epic content that can be shared with friends.
Details of the functionality of the Create button will open closer to the start of console sales. The release of the PlayStation 5 for sale is still scheduled for late 2020.