Do you remember the DualShock 4’s Back Button Attachment? It was a huge deal when it was revealed in late 2019, with many assuming Sony would add rear paddles to the then-unannounced PlayStation 5 controller. Of course, that never turned out to be the case, but the programmable accessory was still extremely popular as it allowed for improved control in titles where it pays to keep your thumbs focused on the analogue sticks.
Now a patent filed last summer by Sony Interactive Entertainment and publicly published this week has fans thinking a similar peripheral could be in the pipeline for the DualSense. Judging by the diagrams and the abstract, the documentation describes a product identical to the DualShock 4’s Back Button Attachment, so we’re going to go out on a limb and assume it’s related to that. However, we certainly wouldn’t be surprised to see the manufacturer revisit the idea on the PS5.
Would you buy a hypothetical DualSense Back Button Attachment, and why? Let us know if this is something you’d be interested in courtesy of the comments section below.
[source patentscope.wipo.int, via gamesradar.com]
Comments 27
I never expected Sony to go and make a back button attachment and especially at a pretty low price. Hopefully there is a PS5 backbutton in the works cause it kept getting sold out.
Yep instant preorder. This thing was a complete game changer for me on the PS4 and I miss it terribly on PS5. Would be awesome to be able to map face buttons and L3/R3. Please Sony!
I'd pay $100 for a Dualsense with back buttons built in no question, but will certainly take this if true. The one for the dualshock 4 was a game changer!
@redd214 Exactly that! It's phenomenal how much easier it is to play games when, for example, the "run" button is assigned to the left-back button!
Add the "abilities" button (like in AC Odyssey for example) to the right-back button, or the "evade" button and damn games play very differently!
This won´t let you put in the controller in the PS5 charging station (dock). So it isn´t that great to put it on like in the picture for sure.
Other than that backbuttons are really a gamechanger. When you play a shooter you can dodge and jump or reload without moving your thumb away from right stick. Faster reactions aswell.
I didn't understand why they didn't have it built on the controller. It was incredibly popular when introduced for the dual shock 4 as an attachment. Being able to reassign any two buttons to the back is so incredible especially for repetitive sequences...
@Marios-love-child it doesn't add extra buttons. It allows you to map existing buttons to the back. I absolutely love it. And use it all the time and mostly as gear shifters in racing games.
And here I thought sony was done with the disposable peripherals. It's kinda nice in a retro way.
@Marios-love-child it’s not adding new buttons, it’s allowing you to press your existing buttons in new ways.
Think about playing an FPS on a controller and you are in the middle of a firefight. You have to remove your thumb from your aiming analog in order to jump or reload meaning you lose track of your target or can’t aim your jump as effectively. These buttons make sure you can keep aiming with your thumb while you jump and reload with your currently unused fingers on the back of the controller. It improves your experience and should help you be a better player as a result.
Admittedly i didn't have the back button attachment for the DS4, but would the larger size of the Dualsense potentially make this harder to implement? My hands dont wrap around the controller in the same way as DS4.
Im sure Sony can work it out, but if they do, no more nonsense like making it exclusive to GAME
I play too few games that would benefit I think, but I can see the appeal.
I'm no expert but the picture in the patent looks an awful lot like a DS4 to me
@Medic_Alert Ha! Ain't that the truth. The PS4 attachment never felt like it was ever IN stock. Despite arriving VERY late in the generation I wanted one but never had a chance. Hell getting a PS5 was far easier...
I've managed 40+ years of gaming on various controllers without them, so... probably not unless there was a very compelling reason.
Just got the PS4 one as game.co.uk have them in stock at the minute. The £4.99 delivery charge is a killer though. They used to be as rare as the PS5 is now.
I'm still gutted this wasn't part of the standard DualSense.
I don't really need it to be competitive, as I never play multiplayer. But I would definitely want it to assign one of them to run/sprint in many singe-player games. I absolutely HATE when the only button left to activate sprint is pressing the left stick (L3), it really strains my hand over time in games where you want to sprint a lot and there is just no other button that you can swap it with that makes sense.
Would love one. Just don’t let them be exclusive to Game! Never any in stock.
@Enigk Thanks for the tip on this. I've managed to order myself one today without paying rip off prices from eBay sellers. 🙂
This is what I want the most lol, I'm still having to use a Dualshock 4 with my PS5 since they decided not to release a back-button attachment straight away or incorporate it into the new controller's design (as I'd hoped).
@Ear_wiG Yes L3/R3 is hell to push on analog sticks. I hate them since PS3 Castlevania.
@AyanamiReign and you're still playing ps4 games, as ps5 games are not compatible with DS4
Hopefully the ps4 back button is amazing and feels natural so you can run while looking around and reloading all without taking your thumb of a stick to press a button.
Having used the xbox elite 2 controller with 4 back buttons and the ps4 back button the ps4 back button feels best and 2 paddles is perfect.
@djlard Yep and I always feel like it's going to ruin the sticks... Maybe that's where that dreaded drift comes from?!
Yup. I'm going to be sad if they update Apex Legends into a PS5 game before a back-button attachment comes out. Sometimes I'm hopping between games and controllers a bunch lol
Feel like calling a niche product like this extremely popular is a bit of a stretch
ill take one, bring it. OH and also a chatpad (with extra battery juice) please
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