Lead system architect Mark Cerny shows off the PlayStation 4's social-centric, touch-screen-enabled controller.
Sony unveiled the next evolution of the DualShock controller for the recently announced PlayStation 4.
The two most notable features of the DualShock 4 are its touch screen and share button, which will enable players to capture and share gameplay clips with friends and the gaming community at large. According to Sony, the share button will allow players to broadcast their gameplay in real-time to friends through internet streaming services such as Ustream. Players can also upload video gameplay to Facebook.
The new DualShock 4 controller will incorporate a new six-axis sensor as well as a light bar with three color LEDs that illuminate to match the color of characters in a game to offer a way for players to identify other players. According to Sony, the light bar also changes patterns during gameplay to provide information to gamers, such as when a character is critically low on health or has taken damage.
The controller also comes with a built-in speaker and stereo headset jack. This, combined with the Mono Headset that will be bundled with PS4, will give gamers the chance to chat with friends playing online, while hearing sound effects from the controller.
Sony briefly noted that the rumble functionality has been upgraded, but offered no additional details during his presentation.
The publisher also offered details about the new PlayStation Eye camera for the PS4. According to Sony, the new camera incorporates two high-sensitive cameras that have wide-angle lenses with 85-degree diagonal angle views, which enables it to cut out the image of player from background, or to grasp player's position in front and behind.
Sony says players will be able to log in to their PS4 with face recognition and will be capable of using their own body movements in games more intuitively. The camera can also reportedly sense the light bar on the DualShock 4 controller to judge the positions of multiple players, and set characters in the same positions or let a character talk to a particular player. The camera will also support the PlayStation Move controller, detecting the motion with more accuracy and reflecting players' in-game motion.
Stay tuned to GameSpot for more PlayStation 4 announcements as they become available.
Peter Brown has been writing about video games and hardware since 1999. He grew up with the NES and has an unwavering love for retro and arcade games. Though he's a New England native, he's called the Bay Area home since 2004.
Overcharged PC architecture
What, as in; we're paying too much?
X86 CPU
32-bit system in 2013? Seriously?
Enhanced PC GPU
Doesn't mean anything.
8 GB unified memory
8 GB ram isn't all that much.
Local Storage HDD
Woah, hasn't seen that since the dawn of the digital era, a harddrive you can use as a harddrive? What's next? A chassis?
nice i like it - dint understand y players had issue with the r2 l2 n e way - dont let us down sony thanks !
@UrbanMessiah you're telling me you didn't buy a pair of Pelican triggers for your controller? I've had mine for YEARS. I've also been rockin' a pair of Kontrol Freeks too.
Same config/trigger setup as Xbox, same souped-up PC approach as Xbox and announced early... Can anyone smell next gen lite?
Or court action?
R.I.P start and select buttons, thanks PS4 for giving us sh*t and unwanted alternatives . Love you loads x
Didn't like that touchpad in the middle of the controller, nor do I trust Sony to make full use of it, just like PS3 we had a few game games that used that "balance tilt" thing, most didn't work correctly, and after a while that was not even a feature in games anymore. I feel about it towards the touchpad most of all, anyone who was foolish enough (like me) to buy a Vita knows that the portable actually rocks, but for some reason it's not explored by Sony... I enjoyed most of what I heard about PS4 in general anyway and there's a great chance I'll buy it, but first I want to hear about Microsoft's new console, I want to compare exclusive games that sort of thing. Watch Dogs is the one game that has my attention at the moment.
@buffaloblitz85 yeah its bio-degradeable, also follows the EPA's current emission laws required of new vehicles.
The controller looks better but judging by this article the controller sounds more like a gimmick rather than anything innovative, and if you were to buy a second pad to have one spare so your broke friend can come around and play with you, looks to be quite costly more than the £39.99 you would pay for the PS3 controller
2 Like Really nice controller, but it looks like it will be expensive when you need to buy a second one.
I really like the controller! It looks much more ergonomic, and definitely aesthetically pleasing.
I just really hope that damned light doesn't reflect off my plasma TV like the stupid move controller.
Also it's a touchpad and not a touchscreen. It's not used to display anything it's simply a touch interface.
sony coppied the design of the controller form xbox 360(only the controller not the buttons or ...)
6 Like Well to me it looks similar to the Playstation 1 controller, which existed a decade before any XBOX did. Troll harder dipsh!t.
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I like the new controller. Am not to crazy about the Touchpad but I kinda know what its for. Am guessing its for better multi-tasking....say you want to chat, a keyboard would pop up on screen. After you hit the Share button ask you want you want to do next. Dualshock 3 had 3 buttons. home, start & select. Just a though
1 Like @bmart970 Your both wrong. It's a touchpad not a touchscreen. Big difference there. Think of it as an extra button you have to touch.
I don't think it's so much a compete with wiiu thing as much as it is a new means of camera control in games. But in any case we will see more soon I'm sure.
1 Like I dont know about anybody else but the controller looks pretty bad a$$ to me. I hope the console will look even better.
Some of us weren't as lucky as others. At least yours, Parrot, was still well within the warranty time period. That sucks though 30 minutes of bliss then *dead *
1 Like That light bar is not only totally ridiculous, it's also useless (why would I look at the top of my controller for my health? or anyone else's controller especially!), it'll raise the cost of the controller, and it'll drain battery life. But it doesn't look so bad, I don't know why people think it still looks like a prototype. But seriously, ditch that light bar like you ditched that dumb Wonderbook stuff.
@emfan457 I actually like the fact that it can be used to signal what character you are. That would help immensely when passing around controllers on 4 player games.
4 Like @emfan457 It's not a "health bar," it's a light that a camera uses to track the controller. It's essentially a move controller.
I am glad it has a touch screen. Touch screens make gaming interesting, at least in my opinion.
1 Like It was uncomfortable 17 years ago, it'll be uncomfortable now. One of the main reasons I don't play PS3 much.
@MooncalfReviews ...it actually looks like the most comfortable PS controller to date!
I like the look of the new controller, it look's to be a good evolution of the Dual Shock. The unfinished prototype comment is hilarious. I believe Sony learned from the past and the new controller will be cost effective none of the tech seems to scream super expensive. If any thing Sony is saving you money day one. Think about it how much does video capturing software or equipment cost currently?
It looks great. Seems they took everything great about Dualshock 3 and improved the few areas that were lacking. The touchpad simply offers more oportunities.
The more important question---how much will this cost? And also, if this will be the final look of this controller...
Sony developers and engineers discuss how advancements of new controller for PlayStation 4 affect gameplay experiences.
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