Leaked DualShock 5 images appear to reveal PS5 controller

Leaked images of the PlayStation 5 devkit have all but confirmed Sony’s DualShock 5 controller design and it’s startlingly similar to PS4’s fan-favored controller.

DualShock controllers have been at the heart of PlayStation’s gaming experience for over two decades. After first making its way onto the original PlayStation system in 1997, the DualShock has received incremental updates with each new generation of console.

As we look forward to PS5’s holiday season release later this year, more details are surfacing regarding the iconic controller’s design. Since any console is dependent on its peripherals, fans are desperate to get a glimpse on what Sony will deliver with their staple DualShock design.

The DualShock controller has matured into its fourth generation… Could we be seeing a fifth with the PS5?

DualShock 4, but different…

Patents filed by Sony appeared to highlight that the upcoming controller would utilize buttons on the back, akin to Microsoft’s premium ‘Xbox Elite’ controller.

This would undoubtedly provide more functionality, but perhaps the most notable part was the glaring exclusion of the ‘Home’ button from the center of the pad — substituted for a seemingly larger touchpad. 

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Up until this point, these drawings were merely a concept. But now, a leak appears to have confirmed what was previously deduced from Sony’s patent publication. 

The leaked images on the PS5 subreddit show the lack of Home button, in place for a larger touchpad surface area. Moreover, Sony appears to have continued with the fan-favored concave analog sticks that were initially introduced with DualShock 4.

PS5 Devkit Cleaning by inPS5

At a glance, there is not a lot more than can be inferred from the photos. However, upon closer inspection, the pad seems to have thicker handles than the DualShock 4 model — perhaps to force the hands into a more natural position to reach the rear paddles that are reportedly being added. 

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On the topic of those rear paddles, the leaked images do not confirm whether they are permanent fixture to the base model of the controller or an additional attachment — similar to the new ‘Back Button Attachment’ which was recently released for DualShock 4.

Sony’s patent images for DualShock 5.

Given that the rumored PS5 devkit is in the background of the shots, it appears that this controller could be the working prototype for in-house developers as of right now… A far cry from the previously leaked ‘PlaySation Multifunction Game Controller’ which slipped through the cracks in the beginning of December, 2019.

Should these leaks hold substance, it appears that Sony is sticking with the same formula from DualShock 4 pad with some next-gen compatible tweaks. Heck, if it ain’t broke…