Future PlayStation controllers could physically harden and soften during gameplay

Sony has patented a PlayStation controller with buttons that can change their physical hardness and softness depending on what's happening on screen. The application was originally filed with the World Intellectual Property Organization back in November 2024 but only published in May 2026 after being uncovered by Cheat Happens.

The patent describes the use of fluid-filled membranes or a special magneto-viscoelastic elastomer to achieve this unusual haptic feedback. It basically changes the force needed to push a button depending on inputs from the magnets around it.

A more unique idea described in the documentation is a mechanism where a player’s finger sinks into a button and then the material solidifies around the finger. This can be played with in the game to simulate a character being grabbed or trapped in some environment, physically forcing the player to press down harder to escape.

Of course, as with any patent filing, there is no guarantee that this particular technology will ever see the inside of a store. Companies often keep experimental concepts locked up that are never taken out of the laboratory. Still, these designs give a fascinating look at how Sony is approaching the future of haptic feedback, especially as the industry looks forward to a possible next generation of PlayStation consoles around 2028 or 2029.