Sony has been a pioneer of gaming, and it won’t be too much of a stretch to say that its PlayStation range has revolutionized how we play. Well, things are about to get a whole lot better. According to a brand new update to the PS4 controller patent, Sony might, might, be planning to bring a touchscreen to the next iteration of controllers.
If things pan out according to the rumor mill, Sony could replace DualShock 4’s touch-sensitive control pad with a touchscreen. While this is not the first time that the company dabbles with interactive controls, the additional of a complete touchscreen would definitely be the most complex, and biggest update.
Previously, Sony flirted with controls that had LEDs that changed color as per the game play. However, adding a touchscreen could allow it to take interactive game play to the next version and make it that much more interesting. For instance, the screen could display things like in-game statistics, inventory, or provide the player with hints/tips.
Sony is not the first company that is attempting to make use of touchscreens within its controllers. Nintendo, Sega have all dabbled with the technology. Of course they failed but that is another story altogether. Maybe they were just ahead of their times. Sony on the other hand, has the resources, technology, and a cult following that could allow it to pull off touchscreen based controllers.
Meanwhile, this is mostly speculation at this point. Sony has updated its patent, but we do not know when, and if, it will use the technology within its consoles.
Of course, this would make the already expensive Sony consoles even more expensive. But hey, plenty of people buy them anyways, and as such, the company is in a pretty strong position to take game play to the next level. Apart from the screen and its capability, a lot will also depend upon how developers themselves respond to this addition, and leverage it within their games.
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