Skip to main content

The PS5’s controller could include more buttons on the back

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Sony recently announced a new peripheral for its PlayStation 4 controller called the DualShock 4 Back Button attachment, which gives players programmable buttons to use in their favorite games without needing a more expensive third-party controller. It appears athat a similar system could be coming to the PlayStation 5, but it might just be built into the controller itself.

In a Japanese patent filing spotted by the Dutch website LetsGoDigital, Sony detailed a controller that includes a few more buttons located where your fingers would typically rest on the underside of the controller. This would effectively serve the same purpose as the Back Button attachment, allowing players to keep their thumbs on the analog stick while still performing actions in certain games.

Recommended Videos

The patent filing also appears to show that the PS5’s controller could be adjustable, with handles that can extend to accommodate larger hands. This would make it usable by a larger number of players, but the feature would also be something we don’t typically see in standard controllers packaged with a system. The ability to move the controller’s hand grips without them breaking during intense gameplay sessions could also be a concern.

LetsGoDigital

We already know from Sony itself that the PS5’s controller will feature several upgrades over the PS4’s DualShock 4. In place of traditional rumble, the controller will have more specific haptic feedback, including the ability to cause vibration in the analog sticks to simulate the feeling of slipping on a surface. Hopefully, these additional features will not be available at the cost of battery life, which is already fairly abysmal on the DualShock 4. We’ll likely learn more as we enter 2020 and Sony has a chance to show off the final design for the first time.

Sony seems to be making more drastic changes to its controller compared to Microsoft, which unveiled the Xbox Series X’s controller during The Game Awards earlier this month. That controller is shaped slightly differently than the Xbox One’s controller, but aside from a new Share button, it features the exact same configuration. Of course, when your controller is already so acclaimed, it’s hard to argue with keeping things the way they already are.

Gabe Gurwin
Gabe Gurwin has been playing games since 1997, beginning with the N64 and the Super Nintendo. He began his journalism career…
The best simulation games on PS5
Gran Turismo 7 played with a steering wheel.

Technically speaking, all games are simulations. Most just tend to be very unrealistic. Even the best open-world games or best survival games take a ton of liberty in smoothing over a lot of the things we would normally think were mundane. The simulation genre not only embraces the fine details but makes mastering them the entire experience. There are plenty of meme games that make fun of simulators, but the ones that take themselves seriously end up being some of the best PS5 games you can play. Whether you love simulators already or are looking for some good places to start, here are all the best simulation games on PS5.

Gran Turismo 7

Read more
The best puzzle games on PS5
An upside-down level in manifold garden.,

Most of the best PS5 games include puzzle elements, but they aren't typically the main focus. These usually amount to a simple logic or physics obstacle used to break up the pacing and not actually cause you to sit and think for a few minutes to solve. Those of us who love a good head-scratcher are forced to find games where puzzle solving is the focus, and thankfully the PS5 has some of the most creative and challenging puzzle games ever made. These games play with space, language, perspective, and logic in ways that will force you to really flex your brain muscles to solve. In many ways, puzzle games are among the hardest video games ever made, but overcoming them comes down to pure intelligence rather than skill. If you need a new mental challenge, here are the best puzzle games on PS5.

If you have already managed to outsmart all of our picks, check to see what new puzzle games are coming in our list of upcoming PS5 games.

Read more
The best Roguelikes on PS5
The spelunky characters near lava and treasure.

As great as the best single-player games are, they all must come to an end. Sure, you can replay them and maybe get a secret ending, but they will essentially be the same experience as before. Roguelikes (and Roguelites) are games that are designed to be endlessly replayable. Each one approaches things a bit differently, but the most common element they all share is some level of random generation. This could be in the levels, enemies, items, and more, with most opting to randomize almost everything. That makes every run a new challenge that you can never fully predict. These games are some of the most addictive and best PS5 games you can play, but it is also a genre flooded with less-than-great options. We've sunk hundreds of hours into Roguelikes to pick out the best ones you can play on PS5 today.

Hades

Read more