PS5 Controller Back Button Attachment Likely Coming According To Sony Patent

According to a newly published patent through the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), Sony is looking to develop a back button attachment for PlayStation 5’s DualSense controller. This wouldn’t be the first time a PlayStation controller has played host to such an add-on. Sony released a back button attachment for the DualShock 4 in early 2020, giving players a relatively inexpensive option in terms of customizable peripherals.

The DualShock 4’s back button add-on provides two customizable rear buttons capable of mapping up to 16 different actions. It additionally comes integrated with an OLED display that relays real-time information about the various button assignments. Built with the ergonomics of the PS4 controller in mind, the attachment’s highly configurable nature allows players to remap button inputs on the fly. Critics and fans are rather mixed on the small device as a whole, but there definitely seems to have been an audience for the add-on. In essence, the back button acts as an inexpensive, albeit rudimentary, alternative to the pro controllers developed by the likes of Scuf.

Now it appears Sony is developing a back button attachment for DualSense, evidenced by a patent filed with the WIPO in June 2020 and published earlier this month. As noted by IGN, this particular device seems like a modified version of that which players can purchase for DualShock 4. The add-on would attach to the DualSense in the same way the back button peripheral attaches to the older controller – via inputs at located at the bottom. A “Description” page for the patent on WIPO’s database provides background details, which note that modern controllers often feature buttons that are “out of reach for the average hand.” As a result, there’s a need for a peripheral that can “add more buttons to a game controller that are within the reach of the user while using certain functions.”

A modified version of the back button making its way to DualSense would be a boon for the PlayStation 5’s existing accessibility features. The DualSense is undeniably the largest PlayStation controller to date, meaning seasoned PlayStation players with smaller hands or disabilities may not be getting as much out of the new controller’s myriad bells and whistles. An inexpensive add-on that allows for button mapping and increases ease of use would likely be a big help for many a player in this regard.

As always, it’s worth remembering that just because a company files a patent doesn’t mean the product will actually hit the market. Should Sony produce the peripheral for DualSense, the wait for a formal announcement could be a long one. After all, the company’s yet to announce compatibility options for external SSDs on PlayStation 5, news that countless owners of the hardware have been waiting for since launch.

Source: WIPO, IGN

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Brianna Reeves
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A Senior Writer on Screen Rant’s Game News team, Brianna Reeves graduated from Sam Houston Statue University in 2018 with a Master of Arts in English Literature. Brianna’s enthusiasm for games dates back to Mortal Kombat Trilogy on PlayStation 1, along with classics like MediEvil, Syphon Filter, and THPS2. However, Red Dead Redemption reinvigorated her love for the medium; hopefully, that passion reflects in the work she has contributed to Comic Book Resources, PlayStation LifeStyle, GVMERS, and Screen Rant.

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