It's fair to say we weren't enamoured with the design of Sony's DualSense controller when it was revealed last year. Like the PS5 itself, the controller is somewhat, er, chonky – but it seems Sony is already working on slimmer design concepts.
A new patent filing reveals the company is working on a new controller design featuring a collapsible control stick. This means the joystick could retract into the body of the controller itself, allowing for a more svelte (and potentially more comfortable) design. Here are the best PS5 controllers that you can buy right right now, and check out the next PS5 restock news while you're at it.
A screenshot from Sony's latest patent (Image credit: WIPO)
The patent filing itself offers little in the way of information about how the controller will work, simply describing: "A controller, thumbstick, or system comprising a thumbstick body, a thumbstick shaft coupled to the thumbstick body wherein the thumbstick shaft is configured to retract into the thumbstick body and wherein the thumbstick body and the thumbstick shaft is freely rotatable together around a pivot centre within the controller body." (You know when you read a word so many times that it loses all meaning? Yeah, thumbstick.)
But it seems the concept is all about comfort. "Analog nubs are portable but also very uncomfortable for the user," Sony says in the filing. "The user moves the flat surface or rough area with pressure from their thumb. This can become quite uncomfortable after a while because the required friction between the user’s thumb and the surface."
As with all patents, whether this design will ever see the light of day remains to be seen, but it's certainly intriguing – and we can't help but wonder if it's offering us a glimpse of the next generation of DualSense. If a PS5 'Slim' ever makes it to market (hey, every PlayStation generation has had one), perhaps it'll arrive complete with a redesigned controller?
Sony is finally embracing colours other than white (Image credit: Sony)
Indeed, a collapsible thumbstick could potentially transform the feel of the controller for gamers, offering a much more personalised and therefore comfortable experience. And it could do wonders for storage too – perhaps we'll even end up with some kind of 'DualSense Slim' charging case. And we're sure it could look pretty cool – better than that horrendous McDonald's DualSense concept anyway.
It seems Sony is finally ready to give gamers more options when it comes to the look of the PS5. From those new coloured faceplates to rumours of a console redesign, the days of being restricted to Sony's reverse-oreo (sorry, white-on-black) design are coming to an end. And perhaps in the near future, we'll have a brand new controller to enjoy too. Want to start gaming right now? Check out today's best games console deals below.
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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.
