a surprise when it was announced. Rumours of a new PS5 controller concept have been around for some time too, but journalist Tom Henderson says he as seen the new Pro controller.
Codenamed ‘The Hunt’, this new gamepad for PS5 has been reported by Henderson over at Try Hard Guides(opens in new tab), and it could solve one of PS5’s biggest design fails, and something pro players have been demanding for some time.
The games industry insider claims the new controller will feature removable analogue sticks, trigger stops, and rear button paddles. This is a feature Sony released as an attachment on the older DualShock 4 for PlayStation 4 (see below) and many die-hard gamers loved these paddles, especially for racing sims like Gran Turismo 7, which is one of the best games on PS5.
Henderson says he has seen a prototype of the new Pro pad and claims the controller retains the same design notes as the DualSense controller. There are now, however, small buttons below the analog sticks to release them so they can be changed for new ones – meaning you can install shorter or taller analog sticks. Depending on the game you’re playing this can have a huge impact on response times.
Likewise, the triggers can be adjusted to shorten the ‘stop’ distance and length of travel. Again, pro players demand this level of customisation. The reporter also says there are removable grips on the new PS5 Pro controller.
Some of these customisation options will be welcomed by PS5 owners who demand a greater level of usability from their controller. It could also have an impact on the core features of the DualSense, such as its adaptive triggers. Will this still work?
This rumour of a new Pro controller for PS5 comes as Sony is set to launch even more of its games on PC, and is relaunching its subscription service and cloud gaming platform as PS Plus and PS Now merge. The release of a Pro controller could be aimed at PC players who prefer this level of customisation, as well as PS5 pro players who demand a level playing field when using cross-play – PS5 gamers playing against PC and Xbox players.
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