PlayStation 4 Dropping DualShock Controller Design in Favor of Biometric Sensors and Touch Screen
It's not often that a console company sticks with a controller design for three straight generations, but sure enough, the PlayStation controller that ships with the PS3 is largely the same as the original that shipped with the first PlayStation so many years ago. There's a saying that folks shouldn't worry with fixing things that aren't broken, and we suspect that this is the mantra Sony has been following. The PlayStation's DualShock design is one that's largely beloved, but as the years have passed, controlling a console has become a new art form. Nintendo ushered in a sea change with the Wii Remote, and Microsoft's Kinect placed even less emphasis on the handheld controller.
Of course, Sony has dabbled in motion gaming with Move, but according to a new report on the matter, the company will ditch the DualShock design scheme once the PS4 rolls around. After 16 years, the PS controller that we're familiar with could be no more. Reportedly, variations of the controller include "biometric sensors on the grips and an LCD touch screen," which sure sounds a lot like the GamePad that ships with the Wii U. The PlayStation 4, codenamed Orbis for now, may be revealed in earnest this year, and no doubt the cover will be pulled off of the controller at that point as well.
So, what's your gut reaction? Will it be tough to let go of a design that gamers have used for so long? Or is change just natural as gaming evolves?
Of course, Sony has dabbled in motion gaming with Move, but according to a new report on the matter, the company will ditch the DualShock design scheme once the PS4 rolls around. After 16 years, the PS controller that we're familiar with could be no more. Reportedly, variations of the controller include "biometric sensors on the grips and an LCD touch screen," which sure sounds a lot like the GamePad that ships with the Wii U. The PlayStation 4, codenamed Orbis for now, may be revealed in earnest this year, and no doubt the cover will be pulled off of the controller at that point as well.
So, what's your gut reaction? Will it be tough to let go of a design that gamers have used for so long? Or is change just natural as gaming evolves?
