New Sony patent attaches smartphone to DualSense PS5 controller, enhancing games

Several Sony patents have proposed ways to improve its stock PS5 controller. The company’s latest idea focuses less on the controller itself and more on a smartphone mounted above it. Cheat Happens found the document that describes how a second input device could benefit games.

A controller companion

The goal of the patent is to “increase the variety of input control types that may be provided by an input device.” It mentions smartphones, since they are in “common use and typically comprise a display and at least one sensor.” The company anticipates that gamers will keep a Galaxy companion or an iPhone nearby even in the PS6 era.

The images in the document appear to depict a DualSense PS5 controller. Attached to the device is a mobile phone with a type of clip. The contraption resembles a number of phone mounts for controllers already on the market. PS5 or PS6 games in the future would recognize commands from both simultaneously.

While it’s an awkward setup, Sony envisions several potential benefits. Some games may feel more intuitive to control with a touchscreen interface rather than sticks and buttons. Developers could also leverage sensors on smartphones that aren’t common with other gaming accessories.

Dual-screen gaming is not a new concept

Although Nintendo’s Wii U failed to convince skeptics, an additional screen can enhance gameplay when supported. The secondary display enables titles to render a map or show action from an alternate perspective.

Developers may also find ways to take advantage of a mobile phone’s high-resolution camera. Some releases already allow players to import selfies when creating characters, but the process isn’t seamless.

The most recent Sony patent is one of many targeting the DualSense PS5 controller and upcoming revisions. Most relevant to the latest idea is a January filing for a stickless and buttonless alternative. Instead of relying on another device, users could map touchscreen inputs on the peripheral’s surface.