Today, Sony released a new blog post detailing some information regarding what products will, and will not be compatible with the upcoming next-generation PS5. However, the announcement that PS4 DualShock 4 controllers will not work with PS5 games has some folk concerned about accessibility.
It was revealed that the DualShock 4 and any PlayStation officially licensed third-party gamepad controllers will work on the PS5 but only for supported PS4 games.
For PS5 games, Sony states that the DualShock 4 controller is not supported, “we believe that PS5 games should take advantage of the new capabilities and features we’re bringing to the platform, including the features of DualSense wireless controller.”
The Sixth Axis editor, Stefan touched on accessibility in light of the announcement asking, “surely you can turn off haptics for accessibility, right?” Additionally, Vivek Gohil has expressed frustration at the news. In a reply, he mentions that he can “remember the frustration and depression I went through when I had to swap from a DS3 to a DS4.”
This is the worst news ever, it's the PS4 nightmare again. Thanks, @PlayStation for ruining next-gen for me. Controller #Accessibility is vital. pic.twitter.com/5KaJq9cR2z
— Vivek Gohil ⚡️ is Hulk Angry. (@uncannyvivek) August 3, 2020
Barrie Ellis also tweeted about the news with hopes that Sony has “some good controller accessibility solutions in the pipeline to make up for this.”
The DualSense certainly looks different from the DualShock 4 with a body that looks bigger and thicker as we saw in Geoff Keighley’s hands-on that you can watch below. We know some details about the controller, such as how it has adaptive L2 and R2 triggers, but the angle of those triggers have also been changed along with the grip.
The DualSense will also boast improved haptic feedback and will be heavier than the DualShock 4. So already, there’s a lot of changes that may not be suited to how some players have grown accustomed to the DualShock 4 that launched in 2013.
The blog post also details other compatible products. Specialty peripherals such as officially licensed racing wheels, arcade sticks, and fight sticks will work with both PS5 and PS4 games. The Platinum and Gold wireless headsets along with third-party headsets that connect to the console with a USB or audio jack are supported by the PS5. However, the companion app will not be compatible.
The PS Move Motion Controller and PS VR Aim Controller will work with supported PS VR games on the PS5. It’s also noted that the PS4 camera will work on the next-gen console but will require a PlayStation Camera adaptor that will be provided for PS VR users.
At the moment Sony hasn’t revealed any information about accessibility with the DualSense controller. I find it strange that other products, such as the camera and steering wheels are being supported over allowing a player to choose their preferred input method. Hopefully, more news about the DualSense controller or further information on compatibility will be revealed at a later date.
For now, the PS5 console is slated to launch later this year sometime in Holiday 2020.