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Sony's PS5 DualSense controller has a built-in mic and adaptive triggers
Sony suggests that the DualSense, along with the console’s Tempest 3D AudioTech, “will deliver a new feeling of immersion to players.”
PlayStation's new Back Button accessory is a wasted opportunity
Sony's DualShock is a good controller. Its Emmy award-winning design has hardly changed over the last couple of decades. It had a run of minor refinements until the DualShock 4 added a touchpanel, some fancy lights and a grippier texture. But things have moved on. PlayStation's biggest rival, Xbox, has a high-end controller for top-level gamers, while expensive third-party options from SCUFF and Hori have proved there are better ways to play PS4. Enter the unimaginatively named Back Button Attachment, aimed at giving your six-year-old DualShock 4 a few new tricks. But just a few.
Nike’s new PlayStation sneakers pay homage to Sony’s classic console
The first week of December couldn't get much better for PlayStation fans. On top of the launch of Sony's miniature PS Classic on December 3rd, Nike also has something in store for them in the next few days. On December 1st, the sportswear giant will launch the second edition of its PlayStation-themed signature basketball shoes, designed for NBA superstar Paul George. Like the original shoes from earlier this year, the new PG 2.5 x PlayStation are inspired by Sony's gaming console, but this pair takes all of its cues from the original PlayStation rather than the PS4.
What we're buying: An official third-party PS4 controller for Xbox converts
This week's hardware IRL keeps us indoors and out of the sun. UK Bureau Chief Mat Smith replaced his elderly in-box PS4 DualShock with Hori's Onyx, the first licensed third-party wireless controller to land, though it's no longer the only one. After 20 years of DualShock, how's he coping with the change?
The story of the Duke, the Xbox pad that existed because it had to
Denise Chaudhari had never touched a gamepad before stepping onto Microsoft's campus as a contractor. The first woman to join the Xbox team, Chaudhari had studied ergonomics and industrial design at the prestigious Rhode Island School of Design but didn't have any experience with joysticks. That's part of why Xbox's Jim Stewart was so excited to bring her on board: Her ideas wouldn't be based on preconceived notions of what a gamepad had to be. It was early 2000, and the company was preparing to enter the gaming world with the Xbox. In Nov. 2001, the console was released in North America alongside the Duke, a controller that seemed comically large compared to its contemporaries. Within a year, the oversize gamepad was abandoned by Microsoft and replaced with a smaller model, but the Duke has had an impact on every controller since.
Nike’s 'PlayStation' shoes make hypebeasts out of gamers
It's not often we see a shoe that appeals to both the sneakerhead and gamer communities. But Nike managed to do exactly that with the PG2, the second signature model of professional basketball player Paul George, which features a design inspired by Sony's PlayStation console and its DualShock controller. Nike says that George, who plays for the NBA's Oklahoma City Thunder, worked closely with PG2 designer Tony Hardman to create an on-court shoe that would represent his love for gaming and, specifically, the PlayStation.
Nike’s ‘PlayStation’ PG2s are like a DualShock for your feet
Nike has never been afraid to use different technologies to experiment with its sneakers. After all, this is the company that brought you the Mag and HyperAdapt, two shoes powered by auto-lacing mechanisms. And while its latest basketball silhouette isn't as tech-forward as those, there's still plenty to like here, especially if you're both a sneakerhead and an avid gamer. Meet the PG2, Paul George's new signature shoe, which Nike created in collaboration with Sony and was inspired by the PlayStation. Sorry, Xbox, maybe next time.
Which game controllers are worth buying?
If you're picking up a game console like the Xbox One X or PlayStation 4 Pro this holiday season, congratulations: You already have a great controller for your new system. Traditionally, third-party gamepads have always been a bit subpar, the kind of thing you buy cheap and pawn off on an unsuspecting younger sibling at playtime. But what if you want to game on your mobile device (or an Apple TV)? Or what if you're looking for an edge in your favorite console title? We've taken a look at the available controllers out there to find the best one for your needs, no matter which system you prefer.
Valve is testing DualShock 4 support in Steam's beta channel
If you never quite got the hang of Valve's weird touch-pad laden game controller, you're in luck: The company is, as promised, testing out Steam Configuration support for the DualShock 4. Steam beta client users can now customize every button on the PlayStation 4 gamepad using the same key-mapping interface Valve uses for its own Steam Controller. This makes the more traditional gamepad compatible with every non-VR title in the Steam library -- even those without native controller support.
Steam will soon natively support PlayStation 4 controllers
While it's been possible to link a DualShock 4 to a PC to play Steam games, the functionality has been provided by third-party apps, not the companies themselves. Luckily, that will soon change, after Valve's Jeff Bellinghausen confirmed to Gamasutra that the game company is working to include native support for other gamepads, starting with the PlayStation 4 controller.
Sony made a custom PS4 controller for a gamer with cerebral palsy
It's tough to use gadgets when you have cerebral palsy -- few of their interfaces take the movement disorder into account. However, a Sony staffer went the extra mile to make sure this wasn't a problem for one gamer. When Peter Byrne wrote Sony complaining that the DualShock 4's touchpad was difficult to use with his cerebral palsy (he'd inadvertently hit the pad and pause the game), the company's Alex Nawabi made him a custom version of the official PS4 gamepad. The modified controller, which took 10 hours to make, disables the touchpad and uses another button to fulfill that role.
Your PS4 is screaming out for some color (and a gold DualShock 4)
Admit it: these new DualShock 4s and color plates for your PS4 are going to make that living room obelisk pop.
Sony debuts new DualShock 4 hues, colorful hard drive covers
If you already own a PlayStation 4 but want to add a little bit more flair to your console, Sony's Tokyo Game Show press conference has delivered some good news. First up are new hard drive panels, which let you add a touch of colour to your console with a variety of yellow, gold, pink, yellow, light blue, red and purple plates. Sony introduced us to the idea of swappable faces when it debuted its Project Skylight beta back in December 2014, but its latest accessories focus on solid colors more than game tie-ins.
A look at the evolution of modern video game controllers
If anything's kept pace with how video games have changed over the years, it's how we interact with them. Our biggest touchpoint with virtual worlds is the gamepad and -- akin to how games themselves have evolved from simple 2D affairs into 100-hour-long labyrinths in three dimensions -- controllers have changed to accommodate that. What you'll find in the gallery below is a comprehensive look at gamepads from the past 30-plus years of gaming, including high points and missteps alike. [Image: Adafruit Industries/Flickr]
PlayStation TV coming to the UK this autumn for £85
You may have heard that Sony is finally launching the PlayStation TV (or Vita TV as it was previously known) outside of Japan. We know that the mini-console will be priced at $99/€99 in North America and Europe respectively, but we were left in the dark over how much it would cost in the UK. Until now. Eurogamer reports that when it arrives in the autumn, the PlayStation TV will retail for £84.99. That's a significant bump over the £60 (plus taxes) it would set you back if you went out to the US and bought one direct. To make matters worse, Sony won't offer UK customers the PS3 DualShock controller bundle like it does in the US and Asia. That said, it'll still mirror your PlayStation 4 screen and you'll still be able to play lots of Vita games, PlayStation games and stream video content, as well as music and video from Sony's own store.
Sony will give your PlayStation controller a free World Cup makeover
Major sporting events serve as the perfect time for brands to thrust their latest wares in fans' faces. With only weeks until the start of the 2014 World Cup, Sony is maximising its marketing opportunities as one of only six official FIFA Partners by offering PS3 and PS4 owners the opportunity to give their DualShock controllers a World Cup makeover. Sony will set up Customisation Stations in three UK cities where teams of graffiti artists will adorn the controllers with names, numbers and countries completely free of charge. To take advantage of the offer, make your way to the PlayStation Customisation Stations situated in the Bullring Shopping Centre in Birmingham on May 24th, Piccadilly Gardens in Manchester on May 31st or Westfield Stratford City in London on either the 7th or 8th June. All you'll need is your PlayStation controller and an idea of what you want done with it.
Sony built the PlayStation 4's controller with VR in mind
You may think that Sony built its Project Morpheus virtual reality headset to accommodate the PlayStation 4's DualShock 4 controller, but it turns out that the opposite is true -- the gamepad was designed for VR from the start. The company's Jed Ashforth tells TechRadar that the Morpheus team insisted on building the always-on (and occasionally irksome) light bar into the DualShock for its purposes, and had to remain silent about its real objectives until the VR helmet's unveiling this March. The move isn't completely surprising given Sony's tendency to use PlayStations as technology launching pads -- see the PS3's Blu-ray drive as an example. Still, it's good to know that the controller was designed for much, much more than motion-based experiences like The Playroom.
Limited edition PlayStation 3 controller goes 'skeleton style' for Japan, others might call it see-through
While Sony's third home console has seen transparent controllers before, this is the first time that they've also packed a rumble. Announced a day late for Halloween and headed to Japan only for now, the press release suggests that being able to see the inner workings makes it the first 'skeleton style' (translated from the Japanese) controller. The not-even-slighty-spooky DualShock 3 will go on limited sale December 19th priced at 5,500 yen (about $56). It's not cheap, but then limited edition gaming merch never have been.
Sony's DualShock 4 coming in 'Magma Red' and 'Wave Blue' at launch in Europe, North America to follow later
Colors! Who doesn't love colors, right? Well, if you were planning to snag a PlayStation 4, you'll be happy to hear that the console's DualShock 4 won't be available solely in black. As has been the case with previous generation PlayStations, Sony will be offering different color variations of its DualShock controller, this time in "Magma Red" and "Wave Blue." Both models will be available when the PS4 launches in Europe and in North and Latin America later in the year, where they'll cost £54 and $59, respectively. So, don't worry, it looks like you'll be able to add a bit of hue to your next-gen gaming sessions.
Sony DualShock 4 hands-on (update: video)
Sony just wrapped its E3 press event, delighting attendees and future console buyers with showstopping news: a $399 retail price and lack of used game restrictions on the PlayStation 4. Now, with all those important bits behind us, it's time to once again focus on the hardware, specifically the PS4 controller. We got our grips on the controller immediately following Sony's E3 2013 presser -- our first chance to check out the new DualShock -- and it feels great! We're glad to say that the thumbsticks have dramatically improved and no longer allow your thumbs to easily slip out. The triggers are also much improved, with a little lip enabling a comfortable cradle. The front face buttons are nigh identical with the DualShock 3, as is the d-pad (despite a slight visual alteration) -- the biggest difference is the new touchpad. It's clicky and feels like a surprisingly nice addition to the DualShock. It's easily clickable from the standard two hand position on a controller, though the share and options buttons are a bit out of reach (at least for our small hands). We'll have a closer look at the DualShock 4 this week from E3 and some impressions of it with actual games, so stay tuned for more from E3 2013!%Gallery-190993% Update: We've got our hands-on video embedded after the break, so head on down to check it out. Follow all of our E3 2013 coverage at our event hub. Zach Honig and Benjamin Harrison contributed to this report.
