While the DualSense has received plenty of plaudits, there are undoubtedly plenty of gamers out there who have been waiting for a PS5 Pro Controller. Something that will give them an edge in battle. And it really can make a difference.
Anything that saves time and reduces input lag can be the difference between winning and losing. While none of us wants to lose a game, this matters even more in the world of competitive gaming, where money, prestige and fame are at stake.
Well-known gaming brand Scuf has thrown down the gauntlet to Sony by releasing their own Reflex PS5 Pro controllers, it may just be about time to see what Sony themselves has to offer. And Sony has finally risen to the challenge. Here's everything we know about the prospects for a PS5 Pro controller.
Will Sony Release a PS5 Pro Controller?
The demand is clearly out there, especially with the DualSense Drift and DualSense broken trigger issues. Scuf has moved first, with their pro controller featuring hair triggers rather than adaptive triggers.
They've also removed rumble units to reduce weight and improved the grip on the controllers.
We saw Sony move to offer multicoloured faceplates and controllers to meet demand, so it would be nice to see them do something similar for gamers who want a pro controller. The question, as ever, will come down to money. Will it be worth the cost of investment and production? Will demand justify it?
Well, recent briefings from Sony would seem to suggest that yes, it is worth the investment.
Sony has confirmed that they are planning to release a DualSense Edge controller. this will be about as close to a 'pro' controller as we are likely to see from Sony. Let's see what they've confirmed to us.
PS5 DualSense Edge Controller Release Date
While they have finally confirmed a 'pro' controller is in the pipeline, we are still none the wiser about a specific release date.
In their blog post, Sony state that:
In the months ahead, we look forward to sharing more details about the DualSense Edge wireless controller, including launch timing.
This would indicate that we shouldn't expect to see the Edge controller arriving for at least a few more months. Potentially, we might anticipate Sony trying to release this in time for the festive season in order to try and maximise sales. But we wouldn't be the family china on it.
Historically, this sector of the gaming community doesn't seem to have been a priority for Sony. Famously, the release of the PS4 Pro didn't see any updates to the DualShock controller.
The only tweak Sony made was the release of a 4 back button attachment. Sadly though, this isn't compatible with the DualSense controller.
So at least with the PS5 Sony is trying to cater for that particular group of gamers who need or want something more advanced than the original DualSense. But what might we expect in terms of pricing and specs?
PS5 Pro Controller Price
The original DualSense joypad comes in at a pocket-money busting $69.99/£59.99. While we don't have a Sony 'pro' controller to use as a reference point, we can perhaps glean some information from what Scuf and Microsoft have done with their pro controllers.
Scuf has priced their Reflex Pro controller at £219.99, while the Xbox Elite Series 2 (the Xbox equivalent of a pro controller) currently costs around £159.99.
On that basis, we'd probably anticipate the PS5 DualSense Edge controller coming onto the market at somewhere between £150-£200.
This obviously wouldn't suit everyone, and it would probably be overkill if all you're going to do is use it to navigate Netflix or play Ratchet and Clank. But for professionals where every edge counts, or even for amateur enthusiasts, it might still be justified.
PS5 Pro Controller: What We'd Like To See
We've mentioned already how well-liked the DualSense controller is. But there are a few tweaks they could make in order to create a pro device. Here are some changes we think would make a big difference.
Paddles
While paddles may not be to everyone's taste, there is no doubt that they are popular with a lot of elite gamers. And given they can make an invaluable difference to your input times, paddles really are essential for a pro controller.
Enhanced Grip
This is something that Scuf has already incorporated into their Reflex pro controller. Making sure you aren't going to lose your grip at a critical moment is an important part of gaming.
So enhancing the grip on a PS5 pro controller would be an essential component. After all, competitive gaming can be a high-stakes, highly stressful situation. And they can go on for a while. This can make your hands a bit sweatier, so anything that minimises the risk of slip is potentially invaluable.
Hair Triggers
Much like paddles, hair triggers are popular with pro gamers. While adaptive triggers are a neat way of interacting with you as a player, they really aren't that important in the world of competitive gaming. Who honestly needs to feel the resistance of a trigger as you squeeze it?
Given that hair triggers are a common feature on other pro-level controllers, we'd regard this as another key component if Sony were to make one of their own.
And What Sony Has Confirmed
Obviously, we wrote quite a long wishlist. And for the most part, Sony has obliged. Here's what they've confirmed so far:
- Changeable Stick Caps and Buttons - the DualSense Edge will offer gamers three types of swappable stick cap (high dome, low dome and standard) and two swappable sets of back buttons (lever and half-dome).
- Ultra-Customizable Controls - Players will be able to remap controls, deactivate buttons, adjust stick sensitivity and dead zones on their controller. You will be able to manually reduce travel distance on the triggers, which, while not specifically hair triggers, come pretty close.
- Multiple Control Profiles - this lets players set different control settings for various game types, which you can switch between with ease. So if you like a different setup for a racing game as compared to a FPS, this will make life much easier.
- Replaceable Stick Modules - last but not least is the ability to swap out your stick modules when you start to notice stick drift. This is a major issue for almost any controller. So it's nice to know that you can replace one component, which will cost much less than shelling out for an entirely new one.
As we've already said, Sony intends to reveal more details about the controller in the coming weeks and months. So stay tuned, as we'll continue to keep you fully updated on what you need to know.
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