Everything we know about the PlayStation 5 controller

The PlayStation 5 is getting closer to reality today with the announcement of its release date and its first confirmation that it will in fact be called PlayStation 5. Although there is still some time to go until the release of the Sony's next-gen console, today also saw a deluge of detail on the console, including some tips on what to expect from its controller.

The most important details come from an interview with Sony Interactive Entertainment chief executive Jim Ryan and PS5 system architect Mark Cerny published today in Wireframe. Neither Ryan nor Cerny would confirm that the controller will follow convention and be called DualShock 5, but Wired says it looks more or less like the DualShock 4, with a few minor but important changes.

One of the biggest additions to the new controller comes from an unassuming little hole, which the Wired reporter says is a microphone for the AI ​​voice assistant on the PS5. Incorporating this feature into the controller could indicate that it is an important part of the console, unlike the voice recognition features of the PS4, which most gamers seem to overlook, although they even notice. that they are already present. On the other side of the audio spectrum, the PS5 controller is said to have an upgraded speaker, and it is likely that early games will rely heavily on controller-based sound cues to enhance the gaming experience.

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According to Wired, the controller's speakers will work in tandem with enhanced hum to change the tactile feel of the controller under different circumstances. These two systems working together will apparently be able to mimic the feel of different terrains your character moves in: sand will slow down your entrances, while ice will make them slippery. If it works as expected, the controller's new haptic functions could be a big plus for VR gaming, but like the DualShock 4's touchscreen, they could just as easily be an ambitious breakthrough attempt that just doesn't work out. really.

Another feedback feature looks a bit more solid: the PS5 controller will have what are known as “adaptive triggers,” which can actually offer more resistance depending on what's going on in the game. resistance from pulling the string on a bow, adding rebound to the trigger with powerful weapons, or making it more difficult to hold a trigger used for running over rough terrain or clinging to a cliff.

Overall, the details we have so far make the PS5's controller a real leap forward, but nothing groundbreaking, maybe it's the exact mix of familiarity and novelty we should be hoping for. of a controller. One potential issue with its new features - especially adaptive triggers and voice control - is the ability to make the controller more difficult to use for people with disabilities that impact their mobility or speech. Hopefully Sony is working on a plan to deal with it as well, or the reveal of an adaptive controller like Microsoft's to come.