PS4’s Controller Went Through More Than 20 Prototypes

Given that gamers have spent almost a decade with the PlayStation 3 controller, changing it up drastically does not seem wise as it could throw off a lot of gamers, but at the same time innovations had to be made which is why it is not surprising that Sony went through multiple prototypes before deciding on the final form factor of the DualShock 4 controller for their upcoming PlayStation 4 console. The various iterations were revealed during an interview Toshimasa Aoki, Sony’s manager of product planning, had with the folks at Venture Beat.

According to Aoki, “We tried out new devices, changing the form factor. We’d start from there and then try to talk to the game teams and tweak toward what the best form would be to have for those new devices. So we made, I don’t know, more than 20 prototypes. Some had no buttons, just touch panels. Some were rounded. All this crazy stuff.” Aoki goes on to echo what we said about throwing players off when he talked about button placement on the PS4 controller.

“If we moved the X up there, it just breaks all the muscle memory. The right hand mostly goes for both buttons and sticks, but the left hand stays on one or the other and usually doesn’t switch around [between the left analog stick and the D-pad]. That’s why it’s OK to switch around the left side. But switching the right side really breaks the gamer’s experience.” In the end we guess Sony went with what they thought was best, which we guess we will have to wait for the console’s release to see what everyone’s reaction will be. What do you guys think though? Do you like the PS4 controller’s design?

Tyler Lee
Categories: Gaming
Tags: PlayStation 4, PS4, Sony