dual shock 4 Archives Page 3 of 5

PS4 Controllers Evidently Hit Canada Early

Ben-Dutka October 23, 2013 PS4 10 Comments

Does this mean you'll be seeing the Dual Shock 4 in a store near you well before November 15?

According to a Reddit user (as cited by Polygon ), controllers for the upcoming PlayStation 4 are already hitting game stores in Canada.

The pic you see through the link clearly shows a bunch of Dual Shock 4 controllers in an EB Games outlet. We can't really tell if they're immediately available to purchase (they're not in the US just yet), but you can definitely see that touch pad in the middle. Still not sure about that feature… Anyway, here's hoping there's enough supply to meet demand in November, when the PS4 launches. Most GameStops around me said they were only going to get a small number of Dual Shock 4s on launch day, and couldn't even guarantee my extra pre-ordered one at that time.

Therefore, if those controllers aren't already spoken for in that pic, maybe it means the supply will be okay.

GameStop: “We’re Getting Dual Shock 4 Controllers Early”

Ben-Dutka October 23, 2013 PS4 21 Comments

Yesterday, we heard a story about how a Reddit user spotted the Dual Shock 4 controller in an EB Games in Canada.

To follow up on that, I checked in with several GameStop locations nearby, and I learned that they're expecting their shipments of PS4 controllers early. Three stores confirmed as much although none could give me an exact number.

I also found out that the controllers are not street-dated so if you wanted to pick one up (or nab your pre-order early), you're free to do that. At the store closest to me, where I have an extra Dual Shock 4 pre-ordered, they told me to just keep checking back over the next week or so, and I might be able to snag it soon. Of course, there's not much I can do with the controller without the PS4 but hey, it's nice to know. And it's a good sign in terms of availability, too, don't you think?

Remember, that's the same store that told me when I initially pre-ordered the controller, that I might not get it on launch day. I think they were only getting 12 at the time. Now, though, the situation seems to have changed for the better. Got yours pre-ordered?

Guerrilla On Improving The Dual Shock Controller For PS4

Ben-Dutka October 4, 2013 PS4 23 Comments

Sony has said many times in the past that the PlayStation 4 was created in conjunction with tons of developer information via input and feedback.

Same goes for the new Dual Shock 4 controller. During a recent VG24/7 interview with Killzone: Shadow Fall lead designer Eric Boltjes, we learn that in fact, Guerrilla prompted Sony to improve the triggers:

"One of the things we wanted to improve upon was the controllers. I personally feel that in previous Killzones, the DualShock was always good, but when you looked at other controllers they had an edge. We really worked together with Mark from Sony on improving the controller. For example, the triggers. We wanted better triggers. They previously reverted inwards where, in a shooter game, that’s not very good. Your fingers slip off."

That has been a common complaint from gamers for years. As for the new touchpad on the DS4, Boltjes said his team didn't initially react well to that new design idea. I laughed at the "it's not an iPhone game" comment but in the end, they decided that it really does enhance the experience:

"We really pushed them to make better triggers that go up. Also stuff like the touch-pad. When I first saw it on the prototype controller I was like, ‘What the hell am I supposed to do with that? It’s not an iPhone game.’ But I’m really surprised as to how well that little thing works. I’m not promoting it, I don’t have to sell that controller, but I’m really happy with how it works in our game. Everything else works now, from response time, the dead-zones, everything is better. The lag is gone, and that makes Killzone a better game.

Guerrilla tested out multiple controller prototypes, including one where all the regular buttons were replaced by touch-sensitive ones. Thankfully, they said "no" to that…because saying no is the only sensible thing with faced with such ridiculousness. At least, that's how I see it.

Killzone: Shadow Fall is widely regarded as the most anticipated launch title for Sony's PS4, which launches in the US on November 15.

Related Game(s): Killzone: Shadow Fall

PS3 Supports 7 Controllers, But PS4 Will Only Support 4

Ben-Dutka September 4, 2013 PS4 30 Comments

It was recently revealed that the Xbox One will support up to 8 controllers simultaneously.

Inevitably, the question was asked of Sony: How many Dual Shock 4 controllers will the PlayStation 4 support at once?

Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios boss Shuhei Yoshida just gave everyone the answer on Twitter . As you can see, the PS4 will support no more than 4 controllers simultaneously.

For the record, the PS3 can actually handle up to 7. However, as most games released don't take advantage of that capability, you probably didn't know that. We also don't know how many Xbox One games will let the players use 8 controllers, or how many gamers will actually want to use 8 controllers at once. In the days before online multiplayer, this would've been cool as hell but now, it feels a tad superfluous.

Then again, maybe in the eyes of some, the Xbox One having the edge in this category is a good thing. By the way, Yoshida has not responded to the questions asking why the PS4 supports fewer controllers than the PS3.

Dual Shock 4 Will Be Available In A Couple Stylish Colors

Ben-Dutka August 20, 2013 PS4 15 Comments

Cool! Now, just give us multiple color options for the PlayStation 4 system, and we'll be all set.

Sony has revealed a couple alternative colors for the Dual Shock 4, the sleek new controller for the company's new console. We all knew about the standard Jet Black one, but two colorful models will also be available later this year.

There's the attractive Wave Blue and Magma Red options, each of which will retail at the standard recommended retail price of $59.99. These represent the first color variations of the Dual Shock 4 and we expect to see more. The current Dual Shock 3 for the PS3 can be found in a variety of hues at this point, including the eye-catching gold and the very appealing silver. Red and blue are also out there, but I've always been partial to green. It's nice to see a few aesthetic options right off the bat for the new generation, right?

I still say we need color alternatives for the PS4, though.

Dual Shock 4 Might’ve Tested Stress And Sweat Production

Ben-Dutka July 16, 2013 PS4 25 Comments

Wow, that's pretty impressive, but let's not get too Star Trek-y.

The Dual Shock 4 controller has a myriad of new features but as is the case with any new product, there were several scrapped ideas.

According to what Mark Cerny told Stuff.tv , one of those nixed features would've been the gamepad's ability to detect stress and sweat levels. The scientific term was "galvanic skin response," which is in line with previous reports that Sony had thought about using various biometric sensors in the PS4 controller. I'm kinda glad this didn't happen. Just give me a controller so I can play video games; I don't need it interacting with my body .

Cerny also spoke about Sony's effort to make the DS4 better for shooters. Fans of the genre have typically opted for Xbox controllers in the past.

"Historically, we have heard many times that our controllers have not been ideal for first-person shooters. So we wanted to make sure we had something that would be much better for that genre. We tested the throw of the triggers, the position of the triggers, how much pressure it takes. We looked at the joysticks, the dead spot, we looked at convexity and concavity."

Cerny stated that the result is a controller that "feels extraordinarily natural." He also added that he hasn't heard a negative comment as of yet, which is a good sign. Then again, I never really had a problem with any of the Dual Shocks when I played shooters, but I'm also not a competitive gamer. I guess they're likely to get all anal about it.