PlayStation 5's new DualShock 5 may be usable on PS4

The PS5's next-gen DualShock 5 controller is cross-gen, and can apparently be used on PS4 consoles.

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The PS5's DualShock 5 controller may be compatible with current-gen PS4 consoles, ushering in a new era of forward- and backward-compatibility.

PlayStation 5's new DualShock 5 may be usable on PS4 56
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Sony has already confirmed the PS5 will support PS4 accessories like the DualShock 4, but now it looks like the reverse is true: The DualShock 5 could be usuable on the PS4 and PS4 Pro. The news comes from a spec comparison sheet on PlayStation France that lists something quite interesting: DS5/DS4 controllers are both compatible on PlayStation 4 consoles.

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This isn't entirely surprising news. In a recent interview with Business Insider Japan, Sony Interactive Entertainment President Jim Ryan strongly hinted the DualShock 5 was compatible with the PS4.

"3D audio and the haptic feedback support of the controller are also things that, when you try them, you will be surprised at how big a change they are. Even just playing the racing game Gran Turismo Sport with a PlayStation 5 controller is a completely different experience. While it runs well with the previous controller, there is no going back after you experience the detailed road surface via haptic control and play using the adaptive triggers," Ryan said.

Gran Turismo Sport is a PlayStation 4 game, not a PS5 game. This highlights one of two possible scenarios: Ryan was playing Gran Turismo Sport on a PS4 using a DualShock 5, or he was playing the PS4 game on a PlayStation 5 using the DualShock 5.

Both scenarios illustrate some of the PS5's strongest points: Native backward compatibility with existing PS4 games, as well as full support of current-gen accessories like controllers and the PSVR headset.

This also underlines what we've been saying about next-gen consoles all along. The PlayStation 5 isn't a true next-gen successor, but an extension of the current generation. Yes it'll be more powerful and reflect a full-gen leap in terms of hardware capabilities, but it'll still maintain and carry forward the iterative cycle approach (backward compatibility, extensive cross-gen support, accessories, etc.) without disrupting the ecosystem.

Here's what we know about the DualShock 5 so far:

Sony is expected to reveal the PS5 in a special event in February 2020. The console will release in Holiday 2020, and it may cost $499.

Check below for more info:

PlayStation 5 specs and details:

  • Custom SoC with second-gen Navi GPU, Zen 2 CPU
  • 8-Core, 16-thread Zen 2 CPU at 3.2GHz
  • Navi GPU at 2.0GHz with 36 Compute Units
  • Navi, Zen SoC uses new AMD RDNA 2.0 architecture
  • Ultra-fast SSD
  • Support for 4K 120 Hz TVs
  • Ray-tracing enabled
  • 8K output support (for gaming)
  • Plays all PS4 games
  • Separate games that ship on BD-XL Blu-ray discs
  • New controller with extensive haptic and tactile feedback

PlayStation 5 Coverage:

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NEWS SOURCES:wccftech.com, gematsu.com

Derek joined the TweakTown team in 2015 and has since reviewed and played 1000s of hours of new games. Derek is absorbed with the intersection of technology and gaming, and is always looking forward to new advancements. With over six years in games journalism under his belt, Derek aims to further engage the gaming sector while taking a peek under the tech that powers it. He hopes to one day explore the stars in No Man's Sky with the magic of VR.

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