Photos: Get Up Close and Personal With the DualShock 4

[Matthi205]

With the screen that small, what are they really hoping to accomplish with it? Honestly, I'm more concerned about the "Share" button, not because of the function, but it just sends me the message that Sony's going down the path of "It's more than just a gaming device!" and "Gaming isn't for lonely people anymore!" that Microsoft is going...

As far as design, it looks a little bulky, but that might be a good thing. Still better than the 360 controller...

I don't think that thing is a screen, rather a touchpad (like the things they put in Laptops instead of an actual mouse). It'll be useful for navigating anything Playstation Home related, but I hope it doesn't become a central part of gameplay (if it's a touchscreen that's going to end up being frustrating, and if it's a touchpad - the cursor would either move too fast or too slow for usage in a game).
"Better than the X360 controller"
That, you see, isn't a hard thing to do.

On the "Share" button:
I really hope they're going to go the route of "it's for recording videos and making screenshots", because otherwise that's going to end up very bad for any sense of flow in a game (let alone Multiplayer games...). Let's also hope it's not in place of the "Select" button...

 

[Mr. Omega]

With the screen that small, what are they really hoping to accomplish with it? Honestly, I'm more concerned about the "Share" button, not because of the function, but it just sends me the message that Sony's going down the path of "It's more than just a gaming device!" and "Gaming isn't for lonely people anymore!" that Microsoft is going...

As far as design, it looks a little bulky, but that might be a good thing. Still better than the 360 controller...

I don't think that thing is a screen, rather a touchpad (like the things they put in Laptops instead of an actual mouse). It'll be useful for navigating anything Playstation Home related, but I hope it doesn't become a central part of gameplay (if it's a touchscreen that's going to end up being frustrating, and if it's a touchpad - the cursor would either move too fast or too slow for usage in a game).
"Better than the X360 controller"
That, you see, isn't a hard thing to do.

On the "Share" button:
I really hope they're going to go the route of "it's for recording videos and making screenshots", because otherwise that's going to end up very bad for any sense of flow in a game (let alone Multiplayer games...). Let's also hope it's not in place of the "Select" button...

From looking around on other sites, yeah it seems to be a touch pad. But that goes back to my complaint: the thing is too tiny to be of any real use in gameplay. Like you said, probably good for navigating, but even that might not be the case.

As for the select button, Sony says they pretty much combined Start and Select to make the Options button. To be honest, I don't mind. The two being there had become redundant a long time ago. My concerns on the share button still stand, though.

 

[Arctodus_Simus]

Finally! A controller big enough not to give me hand-cramps The old dual shock was a pretty big factor in my move to PC gaming - 360's kept dying, so I got sick of them, and I couldn't play PS3 for very long. I kind of miss consoles, in a way.

I like the look of it, finally a bit more ergonomic, a bit more comfortable looking. I look forward to trying it out.

 

[Bindal]

From looking around on other sites, yeah it seems to be a touch pad. But that goes back to my complaint: the thing is too tiny to be of any real use in gameplay. Like you said, probably good for navigating, but even that might not be the case.

As for the select button, Sony says they pretty much combined Start and Select to make the Options button. To be honest, I don't mind. The two being there had become redundant a long time ago. My concerns on the share button still stand, though.

Well, the touchpad can be used in gameplay for menus, for example. Or work as a giant button.

Also, Start and Select didn't become redundant. They can still be used for the same fuctions as ESC and Tab on a keyboard, just with their well-known name. Or did ESC and Tab now also become redundant now?

 

[lostlevel]

Those shoulder buttons are going to be hard to reach.

Not for me! Big hands.

Finally! A controller big enough not to give me hand-cramps The old dual shock was a pretty big factor in my move to PC gaming - 360's kept dying, so I got sick of them, and I couldn't play PS3 for very long. I kind of miss consoles, in a way.

I like the look of it, finally a bit more ergonomic, a bit more comfortable looking. I look forward to trying it out.

I'm glad I'm not the only one, it was one of the reasons I moved to the 360, I mean sure the D-pad on it sucks but apart from that it was an improvement for my hands anyway.

I'm not sure about the "share" and "options" buttons though, I would rather see "start" and "select" but with different functions. I get why they want to make it obvious that they want they're console to be more social but I want a little bit of nostalgia left intact. I guess I wouldn't use that button anyway as most of my friends have 360s these days. Still easy recording of matches and stuff seems good.

 

[EscapeGoat_v1legacy]

I'm slightly concerned by the change in the design of the analog sticks - I'm not sure if they actually will be more comfortable like Sony claimed. Also, the touchscreen is pretty small, so it makes me wonder what exactly it'll get used for. Other than that, I think it's fine.

 

[Gabanuka]

I dont like the whole"lets put blue lights on it because future" style it seems to have.


I prefer the classic one visibly; no idea how the handle hough.

 

[Proverbial Jon]

Whether or not I get the PS4 over the Nextbox is pretty much dependant on the controllers. I tend to avoid playing my PS3 simply because the controller is so uncomfortable for my big hands!

This, although looking quite ugly from the front, is shaping up to be a solid contender.

 

[CharrHearted]

Oh my god, the escapist has the biggest set of whining. IT'S A CONTROLLER. Get use to it! IT'S DIFFERENT, you will get USE TO IT. Christ.

 

[FFP2]

I hate that "Share" button... Not everything has to have social shit in it.

Edit: Err, where's the pause button? Are Start and Select lumped into the Options button?

 

[Mister K]

I'm down with jack-port, but everything else is... Not for me.
Sorry, I like playing online, but I won't post on facebook about how good I am. Hell, I've made a facebook accout only to vote fore my favorite characters in Capcom's SFxT topic. That's it.

 

[The White Hunter]

It looks fine to me but seriously, no love for the bananarang Sony?

Y u no love teh fruity goodness Sony?

But in all seriousness it looks fine, I doubt the touch pad will add too much extra to the experience, I just hope it comes with a long battery life and an interface that doesn't suck. Now I need to make room for more hardware by years end ¬_¬

 

[The White Hunter]

Why do the handles look so freaking long? Really, it's almost ridiculous looking

I would like to direct you to the above imasge of the banana controller.

They could be longer you see.

 

[The Hungry Samurai]

Not too crazy about that share button but otherwise I'm optimistic. Not sure if I heard right but isn't that blue light for ps eye tracking ala the move? I'd love to see how that functionality works out. We're way overdue for a proper merger of both motion and traditional controller based controls and this might be the type of controller that can nail it.


Also I thought I read somewhere that a camera was integrated into this controller. Where exactly is that camera located?

 

[Colt47]

It looks fairly solid to be honest. I loved the classic PS2 controller back in the day, but at the time my hands were also smaller then they are now, and moving to the PS3 the classic controller was just a bit too small to be perfectly comfortable. This controller looks like it might be a bit meatier. Now the real question is how badly are developers going to mess with the touch screen and light bar functions on the thing? I absolutely hate the touch additions on the Vita most of the time, and the steering in Gravity Rush was just terrible. Not even going to get started on Dynasty Warriors Vita edition...

 

[samahain]

Why do the handles look so freaking long? Really, it's almost ridiculous looking

Agreed. I will adapt. My favourite gamer girl won't.
This is downright detrimental to petite women and children everywhere. ­

And SHARE button. W.T.F. -_-'

 

[Kuredan]

Positive- Bigger controller would fit better in my hand, somewhat better thumbsticks (at least they are sort of concave), they are still keeping the D-Pad pure and they are concave, slight concavity to the face buttons, has the motion sensor built in

Negative- The L2/R2 buttons are still too tiny and still too close to the L1/R1 buttons, feel like my fingers would slip off or get cramped up as is now the case with my PS3 controller, still has the symetric analog sticks (prefer the 360s asymetric sticks), the handles are slightly tapered, but still look to be uniform 'cylinders' which I found to be uncomfortable after prolonged play

(incidently, my favourite PS3 controller is the Power A Pro Wireless which closely mimics the 360 controller and I own a 360 controller for my PC so my view may be a bit skewed)

 

[The_Echo]

No Start? No Select?

I miss the normal design already.

It doesn't look bad, though. It's just a more rounded-our version of the previous design. Without Start or Select, but with Share, Options and a seemingly unnecessary touchpad. I'll get used to it, I guess.