In a blog post seemingly out of the blue, Sony has finally revealed the new DualSense PS5 controller. It marks a radical departure from the DualShock 4, but the redesigned pad will share one thing in common with its predecessor: developers will continue to ignore almost all of its unique features. And that's a shame, because DualSense is full of exciting and potentially revolutionary technologies. Sony wants to stick your fingertips in and massage your palms in a number of interesting ways using haptic feedback and adaptive triggers, and I'm all for it. We've seen the technology used effectively in VR controllers, but if you're new to haptic feedback, it basically means you'll feel more than what you see on the screen: the mud when you're driving a car in the mud, or the pulling of the supporting tension of a bowstring when pulling an arrow, for example. The problem is, and I hate to admit it, these features will be largely overlooked by all but Sony's proprietary studios. History has shown us time and time again that even if you design a console entirely around a distinctive input device (hello, Nintendo Wii), third-party developers will still find a way to ignore 95% of 'a device's special qualities. controller.
Ignored and underused
Let's take a look at the DualShock 4 as the prime suspect. It has a nice light bar that can change color to reflect what's going on in a game, like flashing white if you're using a torch or turning red if your health is low. However, how many games use it this way? The answer is: almost none. Then the DualShock 4 Touch Bar. If you've ever needed a more concrete example of developer apathy in full effect, it's this Touch Bar that drains your battery. We've seen Killzone: Shadowfall, a PS4 launch title, use the Touch Bar in interesting ways, just like Infamous: Second Son did. But how many other games can you name that significantly transform the experience with this feature? Probably nothing more than a handful, because basically every game just uses it as an oversized map button. Brilliant. And the PS4 accelerometer? A feature that's been around since the SixAxis controller, which launched with the PlayStation 3. When was the last time you played a video game using the accelerometer for anything other than a stupid device? Yeah, I didn't mean it.
Schmeatures features
![]()
(Image credit: Sony) But wait This may be because these features were pretty redundant. I mean come on, a flashing light that you can't even see most of the time? Who cares! Ladies and gentlemen of the court, I present to you Exhibit B: HD Rumble on Nintendo Switch. Masters at driving eccentric technology down gamers' throats, Nintendo is still trying to introduce a strange new input system to its consoles. With the Nintendo Switch, it was no different. We were promised the feeling of ice cubes in a controller, because of course they are. Despite the really impressive technology in games like 1-2-Switch, it's basically ignored even by Nintendo, and it still hasn't quite reached the potential we've been promised. Still in denial? Well, let's end with another unfortunate example. You may not know it, but the Xbox One controller has pulse triggers. And they're really cool and never get used. Do yourself a favor and play one of the Forza Motorsport games on Xbox One and you'll experience a defining moment that makes all other racing games a bit sad by comparison. The triggers rumble and react depending on where your tires are on the track, so you can physically feel the sensation of a wheel locking up, moving on gravel and reacting to torque. It's very cool, but it's clearly not a priority for the developers.
Functionality for everyone
So why is this worrying trend happening all the time? Truth be told, it all comes down to time and money. Video games are extremely expensive to make and require a lot of resources to make. There is no monetary benefit to developers spending more time coding specific console features. Sometimes it can happen, but it is an anomaly. The odds are stacked against the DualSense controller. There's no doubt we'll see some seriously impressive moments from Sony's exclusive studios (shooting Aloy's bow in Horizon: Zero Dawn 2 is a given for adaptive shooters), but try not to get too disappointed if half the time, these features are a pleasant surprise rather than a new standard for the future.