Images (below) appear to show almost identical peripherals to the PS4 back button attachment released last year. We call the attachment ‘easy to recommend’, even though it was a bit on the ‘strange side’ in a 7/10 review. At the time, we even wondered if that would mean the DualSense would have built-in back buttons, but that was not to be – it seems Sony is now offering an option for that.
Source: World Intellectual Property Organization
Just like the PlayStation 4’s DualShock server peripherals, the DualSense gamepad accessory will connect to the input slots on the bottom of the PS5 controller. The buttons on the accessory would also be fully customizable, allowing users to set presets based on each push of the button. The patent indicates that the addition of the back button allows more buttons to be “within the reach of the user while using certain functions”, as some button directions “may be out of the reach of the average hand while using certain functions “.
It’s unclear whether Sony will continue production of its DualSense back button add-on, or whether it’s the company that only covers itself against third-party accessories. Sony has previously put pressure on Customize My Plates, a third-party maker of PS5 discs, to cancel its custom orders, and the PS5 back button patent could be a way to prevent other companies from creating their own back button accessories.The news about this PS5 back button add-on patent comes after Sony revealed that the DualSense controller will not be automatically equipped with such a device. In September 2020, Sony confirmed that the gamepad does not have a back button or trigger function, but this patent document indicates that it will not be long before the peripherals are official.
Tom Power is a freelance writer in the UK. Follow him further Twitter.