Leading up to the launch of PlayStation 5, Sony has been generating a lot of patents over the past two years, one for backwards compatibility, another for a way to remove loading screens. We haven’t seen an official look at what the hardware of the PlayStation 5 might look like but there have been images of dev kits of what it could look like. Now, a new patent has revealed what the next PlayStation controller will look like and by the look of things, not a lot will change.
While it does have a strong resemblance to the Dualshock 4, there are some notable changes. The grips look wider and more rounded and the thumbsticks appear to be shorter. One of the things that will be new with the controller was revealed in a WIRED interview. The controller will have adaptive triggers that can offer varying levels of resistance so developers can make it feel like you are shooting a bow and arrow for real or make a machine gun feel distinctive from a shotgun. The controller will also support haptic feedback with highly programmable voice-coil actuators located in the left and right grips of the controller. The controller will use a USB Type-C connector for charging.
The PlayStation 5 is scheduled to release sometime during Holiday 2020 and while we haven’t gotten an official look at anything yet, that will most likely change early next year. The PlayStation 4 was revealed in February and released later in the year. One thing that will change is who is at the top of the Sony Worldwide Studios as Herman Hulst, formerly of Guerilla is the new President with Shuhei Yoshida focusing on new initiative that will look after and nurture external, smaller independent studios. Shawn Layden, Chairman of Worldwide Studios is also departing the company. All these changes are a part of Sony Interactive Entertainment restructuring ahead of the release of the PlayStation 5.