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Sony plans to abandon its iconic DualShock controller for the next-generation PlayStation, a new report has claimed.
Sources close to CVG allege that the controller will be ditched in favour of a redesigned pad.
The new console’s controller “has undergone numerous iterations”, the site states, claiming that prototype versions of the new PS4 pad have included “biometric sensors on the grips and an LCD touch screen”.
Another source “working in a separate part of the industry but still connected to Sony” claims that Sony is “trying to emulate the same user interface philosophies as the PS Vita”, further hinting at the possibility of an integrated touch screen.
The website speculates, however, that the current range of PS3 controllers, including SIXAXIS and DualShock 3, will be compatible with the console.
The site also suggests that Sony’s deal with tech company Immersion, which licenses its rumble technology to Sony for use within the DualShock 3, may be one of the reasons for the redesign.
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The licensing agreement is due to expire in 2017, which the site suggests “may have convinced Sony that it should seek different designs and ideas for its next controller.”
Sony has experimented with different designs for its PlayStation controller previously.
At E3 2005, Sony unveiled its “Boomerang” controller for the PlayStation 3, a design which was later abandoned after attracting criticism.
Source: CVG
