The PS5 DualSense Pro is coming soon according to a report from Tom Henderson at Try Hard Guides. The article claims we'll get our first look at the controller, which is codenamed "Hunt," in the "coming weeks."
Henderson claims a few additions have been confirmed by his sources, including removable analog sticks. These would be purchasable separately to replace them in the case of stick drift, potentially saving the customer some money. Other features include trigger stops and rear buttons, which are common additions to more expensive controllers.
The DualSense Pro could also offer software upgrades, although it's hard to guess what those will look like. Besides expecting general enhancements to the haptic feedback and adaptive triggers, this could mean anything.
Here are the three biggest features we're hoping the DualSense Pro improves upon, excluding those mentioned in the report.
Enhance the battery life
It's no secret that purchasing a DualSense is a little more costly than a DualShock 4 or Xbox Wireless Controller ($70 vs. $60). After all, the DualSense offers features that you can't get anywhere else, most notably haptic feedback and adaptive triggers. These are a huge part of what makes this the best controller on the market, as the sense of immersion offered from feeling the distinct and specific vibration ripple through your palms is unforgettable. It's quickly becoming an important part of experiencing any video game.
But these incredible features could be responsible for the controller's mediocre battery life. And if Sony intends to launch a DualSense Pro, it would be great to see the company take some strides in this department. Paying a little extra for a longer-lasting battery sounds great, and while the DualShock 4's battery was worse, Sony could still do a lot to improve how long the DualSense lasts on a charge.
PlayStation Design Lab
Xbox Design Lab is an awesome system that PlayStation should steal or take inspiration from depending on whether Microsoft's lawyers are looking. Don't get me wrong, it's exciting when Sony reveals its latest collection of DualSense controller colors, but it's starting to feel archaic. It's unfortunate having such a limited collection when Xbox allows consumers to personalize their gamepad hues in minute detail.
Xbox Design Lab offers 27 colors for the controller's body, back, bumpers, triggers, d-pad, and menu buttons. You can also rubberize the grips and add a custom engraving. This system could also be improved, allowing for more color options for the face buttons. These are only for the base Xbox controllers, but if this system were applied to DualSense's more expensive Pro version, it could be a hit.
I'm an absolute sucker for pastel color palettes, which is something that the DualSense color variations completely lack. I did purchase the Nova Pink DualSense (and I love it), but if I had the ability to choose my own pink, it would've been something far less neon.
Put the brakes on the drift
Drift is a huge problem that is most commonly associated with the Nintendo Switch due to the terrifying frequency at which it occurred to the Joycons, especially during the console's initial launch. This phenomenon refers to when a stick registers inputs even if it's not being moved, often causing the character or camera to be stuck in a certain direction sporadically. This was sometimes fixed easily, but often, players would have to buy a new controller to resolve the issue.
And shortly after the launch of the PS5, similar reports surfaced about the DualSense controller. This issue hasn't been reported with nearly as much frequency as Nintendo's Joycons, but if Henderson's report is true, Sony is concerned enough to make the DualSense Pro's sticks removable. But investing in higher quality material or digging deep to discover the actual issue could be more beneficial. I don't recall so many drift issues occurring during the PS2/GameCube era, so I wonder if the source can be identified and enhanced.
