The PlayStation Access Facebook page has just updated with some official, high quality shots of the DualShock 4. While you may have only got a glimpse of the final controller earlier, these images show everything from the touchpad to the redesigned triggers. And it’s looking very good indeed.
It’s certainly an improvement over that prototype that has been doing the rounds in the last week and looks like it’ll be a very comfortable fit in to most people’s hands.
We won’t know for sure until we actually get to hold one, but it seems to have found that middle ground between the smaller DualShock 3 and the larger Xbox 360 pad.
It’s interesting, too, that the classic Start button has been replaced by an Options button and the Select button is gone altogether, making way for a Share button to enable those new social features.
bunimomike
Bottom shoulder buttons more like triggers. Excellent.
Convex buttons updated with routed-style groove which is good news for grip. Splendid.
New fangled stuff incorporated in an eye-catching fashion. Top stuff.
So far, so good.
Paranoimia
They listened to me!
Proper triggers, concave stick tops, and the handles look rubberised for grip.
Thankfully they left the sticks in the right place.
FoxHoundGabe
Glad they mixed “Start” and “Select” together, I mean, I dont think Ive used the select button since PS1.
Airiaen
…but.. but.. its normally used to change cameras or to bring up a map???
xdarkmagician
I was really hoping the touch pad would be on the back. To me it just makes more sense to include it in a place thats easy to get to. I detest reaching over the sticks just to hit the xmb button which usually pauses the action so there’s no hurry in getting your thumbs back on the stick. Hopefully it goes the way of sixaxis controls and never gets used for games.
Airiaen
From my experience with the Vita I’m glad it isn’t. It can be quite awkward to use….
Shadow_lawless
The only eeason its a little awkward with the vita is because of the vita`s shape. I dont think youd have the same problem with a comfortable dual shock try it now with ds3 and you’ll see how easy it would be to do.
Not to mention the possibility of having an infinite number of gestures you could assign to things like reload, roll, give out commands, change view ect ect without taking your hands off the dual shocks or R/L button which a more or less essential to most games these days.
Shadow_lawless
Not to mention controls would be interchangeable between the ds4 and vita if tge touch pad was on the back
JesseDeya
Yes but what I find with the Vita is that I quite often inadvertently hit the rear touch pad because of the way your fingers naturally place to support the weight.
The same would be true in a controller, my second finger (whatever that’s called) on both hands naturally sit in the saddle under my dualshock 3, so if that were a touch pad I would be forever hitting it by mistake.
I think having it on the front is a great idea, and we’re being naive if we think we know all the cool things game devs are going to be able to do with it. They WILL surprise us.
PriceofWar
Very impressed with the new design, can’t wait to have it in my hands :)
Shadow_lawless
AM i the only 1 annoyed that was a litle annoyed the touch pad was on the front rather than the rear of the pad like the ps vita?
I thought the idea of the touch pad was to add to game play by adding additional control options like being able to swipe left or right while still using analogue sticks and triggers to roll and aim at the same time ect. by keeping it on the front players will have to remove their thumbs from the analogue sticks and stretch the into the middle of the controller to do an awkward gesture. which in my opinion sounds like effort.
the only thing i can see the track pad being used is for gimmicky mini games or specific sections of gameplay designed specifically for it (and unless the new xbox has a trackpad too i cant see many developers doing that), i don’t see how it will “enhance” current gameplay or controller functionality
Kennykazey
I’m annoyed as well.
JesseDeya
See comment above
HywelWJ
They didn’t mention it last night, but I assume the new camera will be able to register that lights like the move does? I’m not sure why there has to be a physical ‘share’ button, couldn’t that of simply been added as an option after pressing the ps button?
JigsawPieces
I think they did mention it, but only briefly – wasn’t that part of what they did with the Unreal Engine 4 demo?
Uhyve
Sony have released a PDF about the Dualshock 4 and the new PS Eye:
http://www.scei.co.jp/corporate/release/pdf/130221b_e.pdf
Seems like a headset will be bundled for use with the built in 3.5mm jack.
anthro
Very much liking the new controller. It’s a lovely looking piece of kit, and I can see it working very well with new titles, whilst simultaneously retaining the charm and form factor of the DS3.
As I mentioned in the other thread, Sony are finally starting to look at previous mistakes and are learning from them. Redesigned triggers, check. Concave analogue sticks, check. Keep the DS3 form factor for existing Sony gamers, check. New features which will actually do something rather than being gimmicky, check. Nice one.
gaffers101
The new controller looks great. I hope the ‘Move’ light at the front glows when it’s charging – that’ll look really cool!!
Loxstokk
I hope it doesn’t! I’ve got enough glowing a lights under my tv. It’s starting to look like Blackpool illuminations. It’s getting really distracting when watching films.