Sony has revealed the DualSense Edge, a new customizable controller for the PlayStation 5. In an apparent attempt to play catch-up with the Xbox, the new controller packs a few new buttons, switches and triggers, as well as more options to remap functions and save them to different profiles.
The DualSense Edge looks a lot like the PS5’s regular controller, but with the addition of two little buttons under the thumbsticks, and some extra buttons on the back to give your resting fingers something to do. These can all be assigned to any functions you like.
But the real drawcard is the deep customization the controller offers. Players can swap out the caps on the thumbsticks to their comfort, choosing between standard, high dome or low dome, and if those sticks start to wear out and go “mushy,” they can be replaced. The back buttons also come in swappable half-dome or lever configurations.
If you want to get really granular, you can adjust the sensitivity of the sticks and triggers, so that they register inputs faster. All of these decisions can be saved to different profiles, so you can quickly switch between them for different games or players. It’s an interesting idea – for instance, you can crank up the sensitivity for racing games but tone it down for shooters, and of course you won’t have to deal with your roommate’s weird preference for inverted aiming.
But the most intriguing thing about the DualSense Edge is probably the politics behind it. It seems like Sony is trying to ape Microsoft’s Xbox Elite controllers, which have been around since 2015, although the customization options here look far more limited. This is just the latest in a string of recent Xbox-like features to come to PlayStation – a few months ago the company unveiled a new version of its PlayStation Plus subscription service that has a library of current and classic games, much like Microsoft’s Game Pass.
The DualSense Edge comes with a few alternate stick caps and back button sets, a braided USB-C charging cable with a mechanism that apparently connects more securely, and a carry case that also charges the controller while it’s inside.
Sony hasn’t yet announced details of how much the new controller might cost, or its release date, but those should be revealed over the next few months. Check out the DualSense Edge in the overly dramatic video below.
Source: PlayStation blog