Is This a Photo of the PlayStation 4's Controller?

Destructoid has got its hands on what appears to be a photograph of a prototype controller for the PlayStation 4. The image matches up almost perfectly with recent rumours, showing a peripheral similar in shape to the DualShock 3 with a touchpad in place of the ‘Start’ and ‘Select’ buttons. It’s hard to get a good look at the triggers on the top, but they certainly seem to be changed, too.

Looking at the image, there appears to be a speaker below the touchpad in the centre of the device. There's also a protrusion beneath the 'PlayStation' button, which could be a headphone jack. There's no sign of the unit's infamous 'Share' button, but we suppose that it could be around the back or on one of the handles, assuming that it exists at all. The light on the top is arguably the most curious addition – could it be used for motion tracking similar to the PlayStation Move?

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Regardless, if real, this is clearly a working mock-up. The analogue sticks look cheap and poorly moulded, while the d-pad – which is similar in style to the PlayStation Vita – looks like it’s been cut out of cardboard. Still, the shape and features corroborate with everything that we’ve already heard. Sony has apparently been toying with multiple controller designs, so this could just be one of them.

Oh, and as for that big grey box in the background – yeah, that’s probably a development kit. The wait until 20th February goes on.

Update: According to IGN's Colin Moriarty, the controller is real. "A trusted source has indicated to me that the PS4 controller [...] is 100 per cent real, but also a prototype," he Tweeted.

[source destructoid.com]