Sony released a video today that showcased the features of the newest Dualshock controller. Developers talked about the PS4 controller’s new and exciting aspects as well as its adherence to the classic Dualshock design that has served Sony fans well since 1998. Sony listened to developer feedback and tweaked and refined its iconic controller before adding some new bells and whistles. Scott Rhode, Senior Vice President of Product Development for Worldwide studios, had this to say:
“Everything’s been tuned; the feel of the analog sticks, the sensitivity of both different types of the triggers. And, in addition to that, there have been all these features added to it without compromising the basic feel of the Dualshock.”
Different developers introduce the new features, and describe in some detail how they’ll work and effect the gaming experience. First they introduce the Light Bar functions like a PS Move-lite from the looks of things. But the most exciting part about this feature (and really the most exciting thing announced, as far as I’m concerned) is the automatic split-screen switching. If you’re playing with group of friends and passing the controller, the split screen side will switch depending on which controller is on which side. This is a great idea and it’s nice to see that they’re putting some thought to local multiplayer!
The touch screen will add in some swiping controls to the system, similar to the PS Vita, and could add some interesting gameplay styles but will probably be unused or relegated to menu management for most hardcore games. Still, it’s an interesting feature. Also, the addition of a speaker in the controller will bring a much more atmospheric gaming experience, allowing players to hear bullets whiz by or someone sneaking up behind them!
A major addition to the Dualshock 4, and a big push toward for social media integration by Sony, is the “Share” button. This was announced at Sony’s big PS4 reveal last February and Sony Producer Nicolas Doucet elaborates on its functionality in the video:
“The new big feature that we have on this controller is the Share button. The Share button allows you to record any gameplay and create a video or a screenshot, and share it instantly.”
I still remain unconvinced that this will lead to a new rash of gamers Tweeting and Facebooking their in-game glory moments, but it’s a smart move by Sony in this era of Instagram etc. Also the ability to quickly and easily take screens without stopping your gaming session is pretty cool.
Since the PS2 era, I’ve been a big fan of the Dualshock and appreciate that it’s form factor and basic functionality remains largely unchanged. The addition of these new features are only an improvement. Sony’s coming out of the gate looking good this time around, but Microsoft’s announced event could change the game. By E3 we should finally know everything about both systems. Let the console wars begin!
[Via: US Playstation Blog]