It's no secret that gamers have been yearning to see the release of an all-black PS5. The console's current design has proved divisive to say the least, with the white-and-black machine memed to oblivion when first revealed last summer. Now, Dbrand has released black faceplates for the console – and the tech accessory company couldn't have been sassier about it.
Dbrand's Darkplates are simple, plastic covers that can attach to your PlayStation and turn those infamous white sides black. If you've been lucky enough to get hold of Sony's latest (here's where to buy a PS5) but would prefer it to look a little less like a Stormtrooper, this could be the best way to help the machine properly join the dark side.
Dbrand's Darkplates: No white in sight (Image credit: Dbrand)
But Dbrand's marketing of Darkplates is perhaps even bolder than the product itself. Sony is already known to have taken legal action against peripheral-makers for attempting to sell black faceplates, which might explain the slogan at the top of the Darkplates product page: "Go ahead, sue us."
And the Sony trolling doesn't stop there. Clearly inspired by the official console and DualSense controller's PlayStation symbol-themed texture (which we're big fans of, by the way), Dbrand's accessory features a "totally legal" and "legally distinct" version (below), with the circles, crosses, triangles and squares adapted into radiation symbols, skulls and more.
Yep, Dbrand's copywriter clearly had a field day with this one. "We've taken Sony's monumental achievement in bad design… and made it matte black. We can only assume that our Nobel prizes are in the mail," the company jests. It also goes to great pains to exalt the the "product masterpiece" that is the Darkplates' box (below).
The Darkplates Box: stolen soon by a mailman near you. pic.twitter.com/TgJF5bPQt1February 11, 2021
And now for the bad news: the first three waves of Darkplates (set to release in February, March and April) sold out in mere hours today, with only May's fourth wave currently available to preorder for $49 (plus shipping).
Still, waiting until May might not be such a bad thing. If you haven't managed to get hold of a PS5 yet, perhaps you'll get lucky just in time to turn it black. In the meantime, make sure you check out our guide to the best monitors for PS5.
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Daniel John is Design Editor at Creative Bloq. He reports on the worlds of design, branding and lifestyle tech, and has covered several industry events including Milan Design Week, OFFF Barcelona and Adobe Max in Los Angeles.
