It seems Sony's upcoming PlayStation 5 console will be unlike any in the hardware family; a fact made quite evident with the reveal of the new controller complete with a new name. Meet DualSense, the PS5's cutting edge gamepad that sets itself apart from its DualShock predecessors in many ways besides the slight departure from the iconic look.
The controller got fat
The reveal of DualSense was shared via a post on the official PlayStation blog. According to the post, this is indeed the final design for the controller and is currently being shipped to developers across the world "who are implementing its unique features into their games."
On the surface, the sleek new controller does look somewhat like a dual shock controller despite its alarming black and white color scheme and beefier dimensions, making it seem like the largest incarnation of PlayStation controllers.
That's because Sony had decided to "keep much of what gamers love about DualShock 4 intact while also adding new functionality and refining the design." On closer inspection, one can see some subtle changes made for DualSense.
The most obvious is the light bar which is now located at the front next to the D-pad on the right side as opposed to being at the back for some reason. The Share button has been replaced with a Create button but Sony hasn't specified what the difference in functionalities will be like in the blog post. What isn't so obvious about the DualSense controller, however, is that it comes with a built-in mic for those who might have trouble finding headsets.
Sony has also incorporated adaptive triggers into the L2 and R2 buttons for the new controller which their blog post describes will allow you to "truly feel the tension of your actions, like when drawing a bow to shoot an arrow." But the biggest unseen change that DualSense brings to the table is the PS5 console's mysterious Tempest 3D AudioTech that “will deliver a new feeling of immersion to players.”
Some questions remain unanswered
There is still a lot to learn about the new controller.
Questions on how it will perform with games whether they are new releases or backward compatible titles will undoubtedly be raised in the coming days before the full reveal of the PS5. Speaking of which, many are still waiting for Sony to reveal the entire console--a reveal that feels long overdue at this point. Microsoft has secured a headstart this generation by fully revealing its Xbox Series X console to the masses ahead of its rival, Sony.
Both the PS5 and Xbox Series X is planned for a late 2020 release. However, growing problems caused by the Coronavirus pandemic could push the launches for both consoles to next year.
