This week, Sony finally unveiled the DualSense, the official controller of the PS5. Unfortunately, this reveal did not include our first look at the actual PlayStation system, but Sony did tease a reveal date for the console. That said, for now, PlayStation fans are just going to have to settle for the DualSense, which bucks a lot of the conventions of previous PlayStation controllers. In addition to rebooting the concept of what a PlayStation controller is, the DualSense also comes packing a slew of new features that differentiate it from the DualShock 4 and previous PlayStation controllers.
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Some of these new features are minor additions and tweaks that won’t have much impact on the actual experience of gaming on the system. However, others are bigger, more appreciable additions and changes that will impact your daily gaming experience.
Sony has also teased there’s more about the PS5 controller we don’t know, but this is presumably information pertaining to how the controller interacts with the console. Unless there’s something the DualSense is hiding on its backside, we should now have a complete picture of the controller from an aesthetic point of view.
That all said, below you can read more about all of the new features the DualSense has, which are also the features that make it different from the current PlayStation controller: the DualShock 4.
Haptic Feedback
Haptic feedback may be the PlayStation 5 controller’s biggest new feature, which explains why Sony announced it first. It may sound like a marketing buzzword, but it’s not. Haptic feedback is essentially advanced vibration patterns and waveforms that convey information to the user. The PS4 controller has standard rumble motors that provide zero acute information. The rumble sensation is the same no matter the gameplay. With haptic feedback, the feedback is more precise. This means you can tell the difference between driving in the snow versus the grass, just based on the feedback.
Adaptive Triggers
Adaptive triggers pair nicely with haptic feedback. What the technology allows is for the developer to program different levels of resistance in the trigger buttons. In other words, when you draw your bow in a sequel to i, Guerrilla Games can program the triggers to give more resistance in order to make the experience more immersive. Like haptic feedback, adaptive triggers will go a long way in pumping more immersion into moment-to-moment gameplay.
Two-Color Design
The DualSense doesn’t just break the DualShock naming convention, but the one-color convention. The PS4, PS3, PS2, and PS1 controllers have all had one-color designs. The DualSense boasts a two-color design. For now, only white and black has been confirmed, however, there will certainly be more colors. The bigger question is will PlayStation follow in the footsteps of Xbox and allow its user to customize their controllers? For now, Sony hasn’t said one way or another, but we’re hopeful it will given the new two-color design.
Built-in Mic
In order to communicate with friends and other players on PS4, you need a headset. On PS5, there will be no such requirement. The PS5 controller comes with a built-in mic, and according to Sony, it has advanced filtering and voice recognition technology which allows it to pick up your own voice and only your voice. Whether this will be effective or not, who knows. Sony does say that for longer gaming sessions, you will want to use a headset, but the built-in mic will suffice for brief moments of communication.
Create Button
The PS4 controller has a “share” button. The DualSense is raising the stakes with a “create” button. That said, for now, it’s unclear what the difference between these two is. According to Sony though, there’s a big difference. Unfortunately, it’s not ready to detail these differences, but it sounds like the create button will do everything the share button does, plus much more.
