Is It Time to Say Goodbye to the DualShock?

Push Square: "Sony is supposedly planning to ditch the DualShock controller with the release of its impending next generation console, the PlayStation 4. The iconic input device, with its pointed handles and symmetrical analogue sticks, has been a pivotal part of Sony’s gaming ecosystem since its original release in 1997. But is it time for a change?"

[Hingle_Mcringleberry]

Dear goodness yes please! It was great the first 2 times, but now it's just old.

[get2sammyb]

Do you dislike it because it's old, though, or because you think it's actually not functional?

[Abdou23]

I Will dislike it if SONY used it next-gen without implementing a Touch Screen

[Root]

Old doesn't mean it's bad...Mario is old but it's still fun to play on

If it's not broke don't fix it

The dual shock just needs some minor improvements, they don't need to change the whole thing.

I mean I like the 360 controller for shooters but the DS is a good all rounded controller, it's comfortable with pretty much anything

[Baka-akaB]

Who cares if it's not a novelty ? I play with what's comfortable in my hand , not shiny new objects . The hardware of the consoles is precisely there to provide new things and interest .

All they need to do is fix some of the weak spoints of the current pad . And even with its detractors , the ps pad is the only one of the official bunch that is balanced and well rounded enough for ALL kind of games . The other are only better in a few genres , keys or not and areas .

[StrongMan]

No. The dualshock is perfect. It won two console generations.

[Belking]

Yea, if it was the only one competing.

[Blackdeath_663]

they already said they were going to get rid of the dualshock and that the replacement controller prototypes look nothing like it. personally i don't understand this move, why fix something that isn't broken sony? the dualshock was an innovation but trying to do it twice sounds a bit like reinventing the wheel. ultimately if i am able to use my dualshock 3 with my ps4 then i couldn't give less of a fu*k. infact it would be nice to have another option

[hennessey86]

Some minor alterations and it will be perfect, better triggers and co caved analogue sticks = perfection

[wsoutlaw87]

Concaved sticks are nice when you arent moving them but when you are pushing it all the way up or to the side its unnatural to have your thumbs in the concaved section. I think convex sticks work better for moving them around. I just wish all the grip didnt wear off when playing fight night and games like that.

[Blackdeath_663]

i agree i also hope that it is roughly the same size. i preferred the dualshock because it was smaller and all the buttons can be reached very quickly with both hands i always liked pressing the D-pad with my right thumb while i'm busy operating the analogue stick and the triggers with my left hand something i can't do on the xbox controller (and that's not only because of the horrible D-pad on it)

[Captain Tuttle]

Get rid of that thing, horrible ergonomics.

[BanBrother]

I have always loved it. Even the PS1 controller without the analog sticks (although playing croc and spyro with a d-pad now is hard).

I think they should keep it how it is, except, as most people have already said, improve the L2 R2 buttons. I'm sure there are lots of small improvements that could be made, but most of them are not worth mentioning. Maybe one of those controllers that has a fan in it for those long,sweaty sessions? But that might increase costs soo.....

Pretty much just improve L2 R2, everything else is fine ( maybe even make the triggers rubber for extra grip :-) :-) :-) :-)

[Captain Tuttle]

While I disagree with you on the DS3 your rubber trigger idea is fantastic. Never thought about it but man it would be cool.

I prefer the 360 pad (even with it's horrible D-Pad). The games that I play (mostly shooters and WRPG's) don't utilize the D-Pad very much so there's no loss there. I really prefer the offset sticks because my thumbs tend to hit each other when I use a DS3. I also hold the 360 pad in my HANDS when I use it and I hold the DS3 in my FINGERS, big difference for me.

In short, the DS3 is a jack of all trades but master of none, while the 360 pad is perfect for the kind of games that I play.

[PirateThom]

If I wanted concave analogue sticks and triggers like the 360 controller, I'd use a 360 controller on it.

I actually don't care about the L2/R2 buttons being curved or not, because I use my trigger finger on L1/R1 and my middle finger on L2/R2, same as I have always done.

Concave analogue sticks have an issue for me because I don't use the top of the stick, I push and pull it from the side, so the convex sticks are much better for me.

My changes would be to widen the controller slightly because it may not excell for most things, but it's competent in all. KEEP ANALOGUE FACE BUTTONS!

[get2sammyb]

I play with my middle fingers on L2/R2 too. I still think the triggers could be improved, though.

[PirateThom]

Definitely, but it's not a deal breaker for me is all I'm saying. If be perfectly happy if the PS4 was compatible with DS3 controllers, basically.

[BanBrother]

The PS sticks suit me more, as I got used to spamming them in Budokai on PS2 during those Kamehameha clash thingy's. The Xbox ones are good also, but if your hands are sweaty they can easily slip out of the concave. I'm sure both could improve the sticks.

[wsoutlaw87]

I think they could make changes like the touch screen and scanners like reported with out a total overhaul of the dual shock. Im sure they'll change up the rumble to avoid paying the license fee.

[Yangus]

Yes, i like this controller ps1-ps2-ps3.
But 19 year old design!
Need new and better controller Ps "Orbis".

[rapidturtle]

It's about time. I personally prefer the 360 controller. It just fits my hands so much better. The Dual shock is to small.

[vikingland1]

@rapidturtle that is my exact thought . Also I would love to see what design Sony would come up with I bet it would be amazing.

[PS4isKing_82]

Bring back the boomerang Sony!! Seriously, I always wanted to try that controller. I kinda hope Sony uses that design this time for ps4.

[Fil101]

I love the design of the duelshock everything about it apart from 1 thing, the sticks are way 2 sensitive,I can buy a brand new pad and after a week i'll be running about either knifing or ducking for no reason they need to be stiffer.

[Toman85]

Is it time to say goodbye to hate articles about Sony and PS3? Absolutely yes. This is getting boring pretty quickly and stupid!

[get2sammyb]

Please explain how this is a hate article. It basically says that the DualShock is the best controller ever designed.

[Toman85]

Dualshock is not "the" best. Everyone says X360 controller is the best. And thats my point. Thats why I see this article as fail and a hate article :D

[Dogswithguns]

I only want it to change a little. not much.

[twdll]

If it aint broke dont fix it.

[Jek_Porkins]

Sure hope not, if anything I wish they'd go back to the PS2's design of it. I am not a fan of the bottom trigger with the PS3 version of the controller. The Six Axis controller did absolutely nothing for me, and that boomerang controller that was originally showed off was god awful. Hopefully this is just a terrible rumor.

[chiefdog11]

For the most part I like it as it is. My biggest hope is they make it from a different material with a bit of texture to it, or at least add rubber grips cause it's so damned slippery. And don't swap the d-pad and left stick! Other than a few small tweaks I would like to see them leave it the way it is.

[Sketchy_Galore]

I truly hope they don't go the WiiU route and have a bright distracting little screen on it to take me out of the events on the TV. That would probably be a deal breaker for me. I want to stick with Sony but I also want to buy the console with a regular ordinary button based controller. Sadly I suspect none of them will have one.

[HellzAssassin]

Noooooo.... Been using the DS controllers since PS1 and I've come quite accustomed to it! I'm sure the PS4 will at least allow usage of the DS3 if there is a new style controller. Or, at least I would hope so.

[sandman224]

Yes I'm ready for a redesigned controller. I don't like the l2/r2 buttons. At least change that along with the shape of the controllers. After a game over an hour my wrist hurts. I think the controllers giving me arthritis. Everything else can be the same. Buttons anolog sticks and dpad are great

[mochachino]

It was time 5 years ago.

[Y_5150]

They have to keep the X, Triangle, Square, O buttons! If they abandon the controller, they shouldn't abandon those symbols that represents PlayStation!

[Droid Control]

I thought it was great - in 1995
But I prefer the 360'as offset analogue sticks and triggers. My thumps slip off the PS3's sticks and triggers. I love the face buttons though.

The best pad ever for me would be...

A gamecube controller with 360 analogue sticks, and a Playstation's face buttons and D-pad

[Oldman100]

Upgrade L2/R2 to potentiometer triggers and make the handles more ergonomic.