
With the Switch 2's recent reveal, we've seen a serious uptick in conversations surrounding mouse support on consoles.
In case you haven't seen the reveal yourself, Nintendo's trailer strongly suggests that the system's upgraded JoyCon controllers will be able to function as PC-like pointers.
The question we'd like to pose, then, is whether you think this is a good move on the Big N's part — and whether Sony should potentially follow up with its own PS5 accessory.
Here's the thing: there are plenty of PC-first titles that could stand to benefit from full mouse support on the current-gen console. Strategy titles immediately spring to mind, what with Civilization 7 out next week at the time of writing — and there are loads of hefty CRPGs that arguably play better when you can point and click your way through menu layers.
Contrary to often popular opinion, the PS5 does actually offer mouse and keyboard support — it's just that very, very, very few developers allow their games to run with it. A dedicated PS5 mouse accessory could certainly alleviate this issue — at least in theory.
And hey, let's not forget that the PS1 had its own mouse accessory. The suitably named PlayStation Mouse dropped in Japan in 1994 alongside the console itself, and it did exactly what you'd expect. Compatibility was quite limited, however — and it goes without saying that Sony never followed up on the product.
But of course, if Sony was willing to go through with this in modern times, there are a lot of factors that it would need to consider. For example, would a mouse-like accessory give players an advantage in a first-person shooter? How would character movement be handled if you're using a mouse? Holding half a DualSense in one hand doesn't sound very comfortable.
Still, we're left wondering if some players would welcome the option — especially when it comes to interacting with games that were clearly developed with a mouse and keyboard setup in mind.
So, as always, throw a vote into our poll, and then explain yourself in the comments section below.
Would you be interested in a mouse accessory for PS5? (1,383 votes)
- Yes, it sounds like a great idea
- Yeah, I'd appreciate the option
- Nah, more devs should just allow for keyboard and mouse support on PS5
- Nope, I'd have concerns regarding game balance, etc.
- No, I simply don't like using a mouse for gaming
Comments 82
Nope, if I wanted to use a mouse I would play on PC
Developers wouldn't implement it. We've known for a while now that gyro aiming is better than straight analogue stick aiming, but only a handful of games on PS5 support it.
Plus a mouse on a sofa is really awkward, and I'm not convinced the Switch will solve it.
I'd love to see someone invent some kind of mouse-like substitute - like the Steam Controller - that takes off on console, but an actual mouse isn't it.
I see it as the equivalent of Dualsense's Haptic Feedback on PC.
Maybe a mouse would be used on consoles, but I don't see it becoming very popular on consoles, unless some intriguing and attractive support is implemented by game devs especially for it, to boost user adoption.
not for me, though very curious to see how Nintendo make use of it with switch 2
Already have a dedicated mouse and keyboard for PS5. I mostly use them for: FFXIV, Cities Skylines, entering PSN store codes, and sending PSN messages.
Nah. The Dualsense is one of the best controllers ever. If I wanted to play with a mouse I'd just play on PC.
Do @pushsquare have a list of games with mouse/keyboard support?
I would definitely use one for certain games, things like Disco Elysium would have been great on a mouse as would most of the sim games like Theme Park, 2 point games & the Jurassic Evolution games but for everything else the Dual Sense is perfect IMO!
Heck yes! I have the official PS1 mouse that I used for many hours of command and conquer red alert back in the day.
I personally wouldn't buy one as I just don't like that method for gaming but I don't see any harm in allowing it to be supported if the devs want to use it. In regards to game balance with shooters for example, it is a bit complicated. I know cross play is a thing more games are making optional so as to not have pad users going up against PC players specifically for this reason. (Though avoiding cheaters is another)
If this would become a thing in console then they need to be able to seperate based on the user's input method as opposed to hardware. I'm no game designer but I would imagine that would be pretty difficult to do.
No I don't like using A mouse and Keyboard only need a controller. But I would however like Gyro Aiming in all games
The gap between pc and console is getting smaller. , it would be good for cross platform games like ff14 as takes ages to type things in the game chat especially if playing in a party , some of them playing on pc
The Switch 2 supposedly integrates mouse functionality into its primary controls. This is an important distinction between it and this proposed accessory. A PlayStation mouse accessory is effectively no different from just plugging in a mouse.
So... Do I want a PlayStation branded mouse? No — why would I? Would it be nice if developers integrated mouse and keyboard into more PlayStation games? Not for me, personally, but options are nice. Am I excited about Switch 2's possible mouse functionality? Kinda, but that's mostly because it's tacked onto the Joy-Con.
Would be great for games like Planet Zoo or etc or when they eventually bring AoE to PlayStation.
Mouse would be 'Pointless'
The mouse with one VR controller would be an interesting combo.
I think there are some games that are just better with a mouse, that said I haven't once played a game where that problem hasn't been bridged adequately with a controller. Even Red Alert back in the PS1 days worked really well once you adjusted.
Thing is, I don't think there would be enough of a market for a dedicated PS mouse, although I'd probably buy one.
If there were decent RTS games that supported it like the old Red alert, C&C games I’d be tempted.
It’d be good for FPS’s too.
@Dragon83 Just get a cheap USB Keyboard if you play FFXIV a lot, its what i use to chat in FFXIV. I think mine was around € 7,50 and it works fine to chat, everything else i just use my controller.
On topic: Probably wouldnt get a mouse, since i dont play many games that would benefit from it. And if i did, i certainly wouldnt get an overpriced Official PlayStation mouse.
Not for me as I prefer the ease and comfort of a controller. But I can see this as a way to bring over PC gamers to Playstation, those that like using a Keyboard and Mouse but can't afford to keep up with re-specing their hardware every couple of years.
If it’s successful on the Switch 2, it will only be a matter of time until Sony and Microsoft have their version.
I don't know why but this reminded me of Mario Paint for the SNES and I would be all for an Astrobot Mouse Adventure!
God the console mentality is absolutely baffling at times. Literally who would stump up for a branded Playstation mouse when there are countless options out there already?
Not being a pc player I’ve not gotten used to the whole mouse and kepboard thing. I also don’t like long winded strategy game that require too much of my attention and energy. The last game I really played that required a mouse was honestly Mario Paint on the SNES. Now if a game was made that needed it I wouldn’t be opposed, but it doesn’t exactly appeal either.
Might use it , if only for lockpicking in Kingdom Come Deliverance 2
Nope thats all folks.word up son
Nah. My entire work day involves a mouse and keyboard. Give me a good controller any day.
It’s frustrating when some keyboards and mice don’t work on PS5. I reached out to support, but they didn’t provide an official list of supported devices. It’s like they’re playing hide-and-seek with consumers. Imagine buying a keyboard and mouse only to find out later that they’re not supported. That’s just not cool!
I personally don't want it or would ever use it but that doesn't mean they couldn't offer the option for those that do, specifically as there's a couple of RTS games coming from Microsoft.
FragFX (half controler, half mouse) was my best friend for FPS on PS3 and PS4. It is absolutely perfect solution for exPC players, especialy when right stick is heavily limited with it's 1cm movement radius. I would lovely use mouse again in point click adventures, FPSs, iso RPGs, strategies, browser (if PS5 has updated). So many games could be way faster to play. I don't care multiplayer, so I don't care if it is banned for online.
Yes.
If games supported it, I would use it for all first person shooters.
Unfortunately I can’t afford a top end PC, so the best experience I get is on PS5.
I don't mind using a mouse, but for those games I would be using my gaming PC
I'm playing Civ7 at the moment with a controller and it plays fine, but I would most likely buy/use an official PS5 mouse if there was one.
I don’t have a gaming PC so mouse support for 7 Days to Die would be very welcome.
I have PS1 mouse and i use usb adapter to play quake 2 of PS1 to play it on PS3.
And i use this usb adapter to play unreal tournament on PS2.
Last i tried to play Red alert 3 with mouse on PS3 and it didn't work .
For me PC is for work and not for gaming and thats how it is since 2000.
I want keyboard and mouse support in all single player console games! But let me use my own periphery devices.
No thanks. I'm dubious on the Switch 2 mouse mode as well; Legion Go's FPS mode (that Nintendo cop- I mean was inspired by) has you holding the controller upright in a kind of stand thing, compared to the new joy-con(s) being used facing down. Neither are very conducive to couch gaming, IMO.
Dedicated PS Mouse and PS Keyboard attachment with haptics in it. Doesn’t need to be a full keyboard with all the Function keys etc, just the basics. Allow it for certain games that benefit it like RTS etc. Port a load of popular PC Games.
Make a new Astro Bot title that utilises all the new functionality.
Sony is so great in integrating its special hardware into its games (PSVR2 cough cough).
So, without proper firstparty support, I don’t want Sony to release any special hardware.
Yes if the PS5 could read my PS1 Broken Sword and Myst discs 👊
I have a Kingston trackball on my pc. Hate mouse cramp. Played.Killzone with keyboard.and mouse.on PS2 with a ps2 adaptor.of all things. But no, no more thanks.
@djlard I still have my frag fx..I bought it and used it for playing M.A.G. and it was extremely good.
Yet another thing that Sony has to catch up to when it comes to Nintendo's creativity and ingenuity in the gaming space.
@Northern_munkey I've put aside my FragFX after reconstruction of my flat. I've find out how to play FPSs on controler (it took me only 18 years).
@Americansamurai1 I play Diablo 4 and Path of Exile 2 on the Ps5 with Controller but it would be amazing to be able to use mouse just for sorting out inventory. I would greatly appreciate that but I would you my own mouse and would not want to buy a sony specific Ps5 mouse.
Bring in the mouse, bring in the keyboard, bring in the PSMove, support the Wonderbook, whatever! Get it done. Just get us a remake of Typing of the Dead.
Then add in smart phone support (Playlink+) and call it Typing of the Dead: Thumbs Up Edition. 👍
Heck, make it two-player like the original, and call it Typing of the Dead: Thumb and Thumber.
For that matter. I’m still waiting for a smart phone Bump ‘n’ Jump sequel; I’d call it Bump ‘n’ Thumbp. 🫠
The couch is not the environment for a mouse.
I actually had the PSone mouse that I used for Player Manager back in the day..
Nope it’s a PS not a PC I don’t do PC gaming anyways as I don’t like the feel of mouse and keyboard.
I’ll stick to using the dual-sense controller’s
Most consoles games don't need the mouse. Even modern fps games have found ways to utilized the gamepad controller just fine without mouse functionality. Nintendo should of came out with a better gimmick.
I'm intrigued to see how the new Joy Cons actually use this feature but am concerned it may end up getting used as much as the infrared reader on the original ones.
What I would love to see is a proper first party light gun that works on modern TVs. That would bring with it the return of an entire genre.
No peripheral has ever excited me less. I hate gaming with mouse and keyboard.
I use my console while sitting on my sofa or recliner. So a controller works for me. The dualshock also works well enough for when I use the PS4 web browser, same with The PS3.
@B_Lindz *Lenovo's creativity
We need more developers to support the features the dual sense already has let alone support for a mouse
I'd love more games on PlayStation to have mouse support, especially ports from PC where the gamepad implementation is kinda clunky (a lot of sims). I can see there being a market for a PlayStation branded mouse with the build quality of the DualSense, especially if it was also easy to use with other devices (so Bluetooth, maybe a 5 GHz dongle or able to be used with a standard USB cable), but I already have a £120 mouse (Logitech MX Master) so I'm hoping not to be in the market for a while.
@Cosmo_Kramer404 There shouldn't be a need for a list of supported devices, USB Mouse and USB keyboard (wired or dongle) inputs are universal, there is only one standard for how they work (USB HID is part of the USB specs). Any additional features (or character mappings) work on top of that.
The PS2 (if the game included support by including the drivers), PS3, PS4 and PS5 should all work with pretty much any usb keyboard and mouse, if the game supports it.
Bluetooth is another matter but these should be handled by the PS3 onwards just fine?
Zero point in having a PS5 mouse, developers don't bother supporting the well established existing standard devices because very few console games wan't to be sat there with a mouse and keyboard. MMO players sure, maybe western RPG players. Everyone else, not so much.
Encouraging more developers to support standard devices would be good but an official peripheral wouldn't really move the needle.
I doubt I would use it to play a game, but it would make rearranging my FFXIV UI so much easier. Like others above mentioned, it would be nice if there were a list of supported devices because my Logitech K915 isn't supported either, which I just want to use to chat.
I was first and foremost a PC gamer so I'm comfortable with a mouse.
I like pads too and what I especially like about console is the level playing field.
I sit at a desk with my PC, and on a reclined chair in front of the TV with my PS5.
If mice are supported in competitive games, it becomes a problem where one would have to change their entire setup in order to use a mouse and compete. Yes I can afford the mouse, but I'd have to move my PS5 to my PC monitor.
Any mouse peripheral would ideally need to come with some kind of lap/leg table to avoid that issue.
Ideally you could segregate lobbies so that mice users only play each other (suspect many mouse users would go back to a pad, as they were only interested in having an unfair advantage), but splitting the player base can cause it's own problems especially in lower population games.
A "have versus have not's" scenario is just bad all-round.
It's a nice option for playing something like BG3 for those who have their console at a desk with monitor. I think we all know it would end up proliferating if there were official mouse accessories.
Now granted some people gain an advantage in GT7 by building an entire racing car cockpit with force feedback wheel in their basement, but for racing games we see that actually the pad and wheel are very close. Not so with mice v pad in shooters. That's a different kettle.
The dualsense touchpad could be used as a mouse substitute for navigation but nobody uses it like that
@DualWielding In FFXIV, when you touch the pad, the mouse appears and you can move the cursor around the screen to manipulate stuff. It's ok for clicking on stuff, but it's awkward as hell to drag and drop stuff. I still managed to use it to rearrange my whole UI anyway.
I have the original ps1 mouse, so why not.
I am excited about the (theoretical but basically confirmed) Switch mouse functionality because it seems like a logical and intuitive way to use the controller in addition to its normal functionality.
I wouldn’t be remotely interested in a PlayStation-branded mouse, especially because it would probably cost $100 with the way Sony has been doing things.
No. If I need a mouse to play it, I play it on my PC.
Also, no reason not to let USB mice and keyboards be compatible.
I was bad at analog stick aiming back in the emergence of FPSs in the PSOne days. After playing FamiCom, Super Famicom, PSOne, and Sega Megadrive, I went solely PC gaming.
I only got back to console gaming in the Wii U days because of gyro aiming and having kids to play with.
I'm excited on the Switch 2's mouse functionality as only Splatoon and Nintendo games use the gyro aiming efficiently. I'd definitely start buying more FPS games on the PS5 if they add mouse support.
Lack of support means a hard no. Only including one with a new console would show they are serious about supporting it.
yea its like the only reason I barely play those strategy games and town managing/building games. I would love a mouse and keyboard for Planet Zoo too.
There are some games I think would really benefit from the feature. It shouldn’t be difficult to implement either.
I think I’d probably get one for stuff like Train Sim World.
nope, I'm fine without it
As a disabled gamer I would welcome the idea, especially if they were to make a Razer Naga left handed esque mouse.
Even if I wanted to (which I don’t) I just can’t picture how this would even work, sitting in my chair in front of my tv.
Even on PC I use controller over mouse and keyboard, certainly wouldn't use it for console!
This sort of peripheral doesn't belong on a console, period.
It's a gimmick and it's in the same category as levitating led charging hubs.
The only game you would ever properly use a mouse with are fps games and that opens up a can of worms so huge that devs won't touch it with a barge pole so forget about support for both future and current titles.
Sure there are other games you COULD use it with but could that justify the purchase!? If it really is your bag, you would just play on PC.
I prefer a cat.
I had a Playstation Mouse back in the day. I remember it worked really well with Quake 2. You held a controller in one hand and used the d-pad for movement and used the mouse to look/shoot.
It was also really good with stuff like Lemmings and Command and Conquer: Red Alert.
There are plenty of games that don't work all that well with a controller. More control options are always a good thing.
Never. Using a mouse is murder on my hands due to a disability.
Sony copying Nintendo?
They would never…
If I want to use a mouse/keyboard.....Guess what! I will use my PC!
Coming from PC background, I still find awkward aim and shooting in FPS and even Resident Evil games with DualSense. And also you can't really play RTS like Age of Empires without mouse. But keyboard and mouse in front of tv is awkward, in your desk monitor it's ok. Mac
I would much rather have some kind of keyboard that I can connect to my controller.
Mouse would be a good option for strategy games. I don't understand how a strategy game can be played with a controller, that's why I don't play strategies on consoles at all.
FPS would benefit too from it, but at least FPS can be played with a controller without having a discomfort.
So, for me it's only strategies that a mouse would make sense. Very 'highly specialized' purpose, I guess.
I'd like to have the option. RTS games with a controller are a PITA
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