Sony Unveils "DualSense," the PS5's Next-Gen Controller

PlayStation has finally unveiled what the next Dualshock will look, and more importantly, feel like. The DualSense is the new version of the DualShock made for PS5, which will have adaptive shoulder triggers and haptic feedback.

Sony unveiled the new controller in a PlayStation blog today as the new controller for its next-gen console. As previously discussed in Wired's look at the PlayStation 5 last year, the DualSense will provide feedback through sensations while you play, imitating the feeling of driving a car through mud, for example.

The R2 and L2 buttons will also have adaptive triggers, so they'll respond to the tension of actions. The example Sony provides is the feeling of drawing a bow to fire an arrow, potentially feeling the tension that creates. It would certainly make for an interesting way to experience Horizon: Zero Dawn.

To account for the added features, the angle of the triggers has changed, as well as small changes to the grip. The lightbar notably looks different, but the touch pad still remains, as well as a new version of the Share button, now called the Create button. Sony says it will be "pioneering new ways for players to create epic gameplay content to share with the world," and more details are coming close to launch.

The DualSense will also pack a built-in microphone, so players can chat without a headset. While that makes it handy for a quick chat, Sony does not that for longer talks, it's good to have a headset.

Sony CEO and President Jim Ryan closed out the blog by saying there will be more information to share in the coming months, including design of the PlayStation 5 console itself. PS5 architect Mark Cerny recently gave a lengthy, dev-centric breakdown of the console's hardware, but we've still had yet to see the actual design of Sony's box. Now we at least know what the controller looks like, as well as a conclusion to the many patent rumors about it.