Leaked ‘PS5 images’ offer closer look at new controller

New images claiming to show a PlayStation 5 controller prototype and dev kit have been published.

The images, which are claimed to originate from a game publisher employee’s Facebook page, are being actively circulated on wider social media.

The images claim to show the PS5 dev kit – which has been leaked a number of times already – and a better look at the chunkier controller design potentially set to ship with the final console.

UPDATE 07/04: Sony has officially unveiled PS5‘s DualSense controller, which it calls “a radical departure” from its previous DualShock pads.

ORIGINAL STORY CONTINUES:

The designs of development kit consoles typically have no resemblance to their final retail box. However, prototype controllers generally do offer an indication of what the final gamepad will look like.

The controller seen in the images matches a recent PS5 controller patent and a description of the PS5’s prototype pad in a Wired article.

The prototype PS5 controller currently being sent to developers is described as “an unlabelled matte-black doohickey” that looks very similar to PS4‘s DualShock 4, but Sony has confirmed some significant additions.

One major improvement to PS5’s controller is “adaptive triggers,” which Sony says can offer varying levels of resistance to make game mechanics such as shooting a bow and arrow—the tension increasing as you pull the arrow back—feel more realistic.

The PS5 controller also includes haptic feedback, with highly programmable voice-coil actuators located in the left and right grips of the pad.

Combined with an improved speaker on the controller, the haptics can enable “astonishing effects,” claims Wired.

The controller patent published late last year specifically highlights a microphone, but comparison images posted online show that there are many subtle design changes between the supposed PS5 controller and the DualShock 4.

The controller pictured in the patent features larger triggers, slightly smaller sticks, a USB port and no light bar.

So far Sony has confirmed several PS5 hardware details, with system architect Mark Cerny revealing that the console will be disc-based and support 8K graphics.

PS5 will also be backwards compatible with PS4 games and support the current PlayStation VR headset, although another recently published patent may hint at SIE’s plans for a next-gen PS VR headset. The console’s scheduled to launch holiday 2020.