As we were all getting hyped by? the possible announcement of the PS5 Pro on Sony's September 10 showcase, some have noticed that many top US retailers have raised the price of the DualSense by?? $5.

These retailers include PlayStation Direct, Best Buy, and Target. The price hike affects? every color of the base PlayStation 5 controller, which was already being sold for a very he??fty $70. Similar price bumps are being reported in other regions, too.

This generation began in the weirdest-ever way for Sony, as scalpers made getting a PS5 in the first year of the console's existence a pretty daunting task, but things haven't exactly gotten amazing since. Despite the scalper issue being long gone, the PS5 is probably the only console in existence to get more expensive in retail as time goes by. The latest version of the PS5, the PS5 Slim, had its digital and supposedly cheaper version retailing at $50 higher than the original digital version. That's a mere $5??0 dollars less? than the "expensive" disc version.

For comparison's sake, in three years, the PS3 went from its original price of $599 to $299 for its 500GB model. Similarly, three years after the release of the original PS4, the slim model came out priced at $100 dollars less at $300. The smaller decrease in price could be foretelling? of a dire trend going forward, though the PS4 was never as expensive as the PS3. Still, I doubt anyone could've predicted aging but still readily-available hardware t??o be getting all sorts of price hikes.

These seemingly small changes start to bear some weight when you pair them with the price increase of the PS Plus subscrip??tion of last y?ear, and might begin to feel rather hurtfu??l the owner?s of a console with so few exclusives.

There's not any reprieve on the other side of the aisle either, as Microsoft has increased the price of the Xbox?? Series ??X in some countries. Here's hoping that the upcoming? tech showcase and other rumored news at least offers some more reasons to spend this kind of cash.

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Though the DualSense packs a suite of impressive features, one of the biggest criticisms has been its battery life. This may be remedied by a new version of the controller that has appeared online, as Resetera user ezidro3 noticed.

The new controller, dubbed the "PlayStation 5 V2 DualSense Wireless Controller - White" was originally ?spotted on Best Buy Canada, along with an included charging station and $89.99CAD price tag, but the post has been taken down since. The new controller looks identical to its? predecessor, except this one is supposed to feature 12 hours of gameplay on a full charge. The page has since been taken down, with no official word from Sony yet regarding this new device.

The DualSense is a phenomenal controller with features that make it a near-irres??istable inclusion to any gaming arsenal. However, the low battery has always been a problem, providing 4-6 hours of wireless gameplay depending on which features are being used. Grab the Dualsense Edge, and you can expect even less time.

If there's one new piece of hardware Sony wanted to add to please fans, this is probably it. Only a white version has been seen, but if it's available in other colors, Sony ??may have f?ound a way to slip its fingers into my wallet.

Now where is the DualSense Edge in differe??nt colors?

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Nacon has published several games but these days it's more known for its gaming accessories. It recently unveiled the Revolution 5 Pro controller which is officially licensed by PlayS??tation. The controller is compatible with th??e PS4, PS5, and PC.

It looks like the DualSense Edge ??and it has?? many of the same features, including back buttons. You can customize the Revolution 5 Pro, as it comes with 3 sets of weights, 3 stick sizes, and 3 sets of stick heads to have the controller feel perfect in your hands.

There are some reasons why you may pick the Nacon ??over Sony's controller. Most notably, Nacon's controller features asymmetrical sticks, which is a preference for some players. It also boasts a battery life of ??over 10 hours and supports Bluetooth audio in addition to wired headsets.

Accor?ding to Nacon, this controller is geared towards gamers seeking maximum performance. It features magnetic Hall effect technology that brings increased accuracy and durabilit?y and gives you less reason to fear stick drift.

The controller is available in black and white, and it is set to release in October. You can pre-order it for $199.90. If you're looking for greater accessibility, you may want to turn to Sony's upcoming Access Controller which is highly? customizab?le and catered towards players with varying needs.

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Now you can be insulted on a whole new platform

Sony has released the latest firmware update for its princely gaming platform PlayStation 5 (PS5) �The 23.01 update is now available to download to the console, weighing ??it at a little over the 1GB mark.

Perhaps the most notable addition here is the long, long-time coming integration of the Discord service, which will let PS5 users sync their current Discord accounts to the PS5 console, offering up new ways of communication with friends, enemies, and new enemies. The PS5 Discord service will also allow for game invites, party chat, and even screen sharing. Thus, it will be a useful tool for anybody who frequently plays with frie??nds, or likes to make meandering, half-interested conversations while gaming.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2sHOKZCYkg&a?mp;t=1s&ab_channel=PlayStation

In addition t??o Discord, the new update offers up a fistful of new technical features. These include a 1440p Variable Refresh Rate option (provided you ?have games and displays to support such an option). The DualSense controller can now update wirelessly, and PS5 to PS5 data transfer can now be made over Wi-Fi (ah wouldn't).

In a neat touch, Game Capture can now be activated by voice, allowing players to simply call out "Hey PlayStation, capture that" for an instant recording of recent gameplay, without having to break their flow fiddling through menus. This tool is particularly cool if you're somebody who frequently shares clips online. I still feel weird talking to my console. But then, I feel weird talking to anyone.

This just scratches the surface of the new update, which also includes an improved Screen Reader, revised folder filters, and new library options for PSVR 2 titles. For full details on Version 23.01, check out the official patch notes over on the official PlayStation Blog.

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Premium controller launches January 26

Sony has released a new firmware update for its still-far-too-big-for-its-own-good platform PlayStation 5 �Update 22.02-06.50.00, which is now available to download, paves the way for the arrival of the PS5 premium controller DualSense Edge, which will launch worldwide on January 26.

Officially revealed in October 2022, the DualSense Edge is a component-based version of the standard PS5 controller??, which comes packaged with various modules to allow complete customization of? the premium unit. DualSense Edge features full programmable buttons, as well as adjustable trigger pressure, custom dead-zone positioning, and save states for different users and games. In addition, the DualSense comes with its own storage case, which doubles as a charging dock.

//www.youtube.com?/watch?v=UvmmWeov68s&ab_channel=PlayStation

While an impressive piece of technology, the DualSense Edge comes at a cost, namely $199.99 USD, which equates to a staggerin??g £209.99 GBP or �39.99 EUR, half the cost of the digital edition of the PS5 console itself. Sony has also noted that DualSense Edge will have a "moderately" shorter battery life than the original DualSense, which makes the new cont??roller an exceptionally niche purchase.

Can you put a price on adjustable Haptic Feedback? Sony? sure has

The PS5 DualSense Edge launches January 26, exclusively on the PlayStation Direct store. It will be made available at other retailers, online and offline, from February 23. For more details, see our previous report.

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It better make my coffee too

Sony Interactive Entertainment has finally released details on its upcoming pro controller DualSense Edge �The top-tier tech will launch for the PlayStation 5 platform in January 2023, priced at $199.99 USD.  Pre-orders will open exclusively on the PlayStation Direct store from October 25.

The DualSense Edge Wireless Controller is set to be Sony's premier controller for the PlayStation enthusiast. The new pad features a wide variety of customizable components and redefinable functions, ra?nging from trigger stop guards and replaceable thumbstick modules to programmable buttons, and save states for custom game layouts, alongside adjustable "dead zones" and trigger pressure.

You can check out the DualSe?nse Edge's features in the trail?er below.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvmmWeov68s

Alongside its swappable thumb grips, modules, and triggers, the DualSense Edge will also feature a tough, braided USB cord complete with lock, to prevent those accidental disconnects.  The controller sports advanced Haptic Feedback technology as well as built-in audio?? controls for headphones and the onboard speaker.  In addition, the Edge's sleek carry case will also double as a charging dock? (though it must remain wired in order to charge the controller.  It is not a battery backup device.)

The Sony Du?alSense Edge Wireless Controller will launch January 2023 at a retail price of $199.99 USD, which equates to a staggering £209.99 GBP or �39.99 EUR, half the price of the PS5 digital console itself. However, for those who take their control methods very, very seriously and their wallet very, very lightly, this affluent technology will be the most mechanically precise Sony gamepad available.

Pre-orders for the DualSense Edge Wireless Controller go live October 25 exclusively on PlayStation Direct.

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Pre-orders open on September 27

We aren't yet at a point where Sony is slinging game-themed PS5 consoles like in the PS4 days, but at least God of War fans are getting a special controller variant. Announced during this afternoon's State of Play, Sony will release a God of War Ragnarok DualSense controller for PS5 on November 9, 2022 �the same day Ragnarok is out on PS4/PS5.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvZZvTRFbTs

The white and blue DualSense controller has a bear and wolf insignia to represent Kratos and Atreus, according to Sony. It's a nice contrast to the lighter Starlight Blue model.

Funny enough, for a split second, I thought this was going to be the State of Play's closer, which goes to show how low my expectations tend to be for these showings. Instead, the controller tidbit just led into our fullest-yet look at God of War Ragnarok's story with a new trailer, and yep, it looks awesome. The weight of the story is finally sinking in.

I've got too many of these gamepads as is (three, somehow!), but I'm sure this will sell out fast. Pre-orders for the God of War Ragnarok DualSense begin on September 27.

A price hasn't been listed ?yet, but I wouldn't be surprised to see a bit of a premium over the $70-$75 tag for the current DualSense colorways.

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Hide your PlayStation 5 in plain sight

If you're tired of the out-of-the-box look ??of your PlayStation 5, Sony has a new option rolling out. A controller, headset, and console cover for the PS5 are all getting gray camo, as part of a new collection for PS5 owners.

The Gray Camouflage Collection variants of the PS5 DualSense controller an??d Pulse 3D wireless heads?et. Alongside those accessories, there is a console cover for both the disc drive-less and disc-capable PS5.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0qDTET_tvY

In the accompanying PlayStation blog, Sony says the pattern subtly incorporates the iconic "PlayStation Shapes" into the pattern. And it's true, they are in there, as little details you can notice between the s????plotches.

The Gray Camouflage Collection will be available this fall, with pre-orders starting next week. The DualSense wireless controller and PlayStation 5 console covers will roll? out first, with a global launch on October 14. The Pulse 3D wireless headset is set to roll out sometime in December.

Tactical fidelity

Sony has been steadily rolling out a number of console covers. In June, the console manufacturer launched several different variants, including Starlight Blue, Gal??actic Purple, and Nova Pink. That's alongside ?the previously available Cosmic Red and Midnight Black.

While I haven't opted to?? pick up a new color for my PlayStation 5 yet, I did pick up a Midnight Black DualSense. It's a pretty nice controller, and has lasted a good whi??le.

As for the actual functionality of the camouflage, I cannot say. The sheer size of the PS5 might make obscuring its presence in your living ro??om difficult.

Still, if you're looking for different options for DualSense controllers, the Gray Camo will at least make your PS5 controller fairly distinct. No price has been announced yet, though console covers have usually gone for $54.99 and DualSense?? color variants tend to add a little extra.

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Feel the emotion

The Last of Us Part I hits next week, and today Naughty ??Dog showed off the accessibility features included in t??he remake. Among them is a pretty fascinating new feature for deaf players. It plays dialogue through the PlayStation 5's DualSense, letting players "feel" the delivery of dialogue.

Over on the PlayStation Blog, The Last of Us Part I game director Matthew Gallant discusses some of the new accessibility features the team has developed. The DualSense dialogue tool started out as a prototype, in fact. And during playtesting, the team at Naughty Dog found it to be really succes??sful. The feature, when toggled on, plays dialogue through the PS5 DualSense controller via haptic feedback.

"That way a deaf player can feel the way a line is delivered, can feel the emphasis, along with the?? subtitles to give some sense of how that line is del??ivered," said Gallant.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=LINKh60I8CY

Another new feature the team has is audio description for cinematics. Naughty Dog partnered with Descriptive Video Works, a service that works in TV, movi?es, and game trailer, to integrate audio description into cutscenes and across all localized languages.

Easing access

Alongside the new tools, The Last of Us Part I also features a ton of the accessibility features seen in Part 2. This includes vision accessibility, with tools like High Contrast Display and HUD scaling. Hearing access?ibility tools are also available, adding subtitle names and direction, as well as pick-up notifications and awareness ?indicators.

It's nice to see Naughty Dog carry on with these features into future games. The Last of Us Part II was recognized for its accessibility features. It's cool to see developers to continue building on and prototyping new features that can only help more people engage with their games.

The Last of Us Part I hits PlayStation 5 on September 2, 2022.

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Amazon Prime Day deals are in effect

If you recently got a PlayStation 5, you're *probably* not looking to spend another cent on hardware anytime soon. But if you've had enough breathing room, today's a good day to pick up a DualSense controller or a PS5-compatible SSD with Amazon Prime Day deals.

On the controller front, Amazon has marked DualSense gamepads down to $59 for Prime Day, including newer variations like Cosmic Red, Galactic Purple, Nova Pink, and Starlight Blue. Or if you'd rather stick with a more "classic" look, the white and black controllers are also on sale �??but you aren't saving quite as much, co??mparatively speaking. Those models usually cost $70, while the fancier DualSense colorways go for $75.

A few months ago, I sprung for the Starlight Blue DualSense �it looks nice in person! Spending a lot of money on secondary controllers is never fun, especially when we've got longevity concerns, so I always try to wait for deals to pop up. Thi???s is as good as it gets.

[caption id="attachment_334579" align="alignnone" width="1280"] _{The 1TB WD_BLACK SN850 is a popular choice for PS5 owners.}[/caption]

Storage is another look-for-deals concern for PS5 owners in that there's just not enough to go around unless you upgrade. Amazon has discounts on numerous PS5-compatible M.2 SSDs for Prime Day, and one impulse-buy-worthy deal I've seen is this 1TB SSD from Nextorage for $110. Another one: the WD_Black SN850, which is $114 for 1TB.

Of course, if you?? want to go big, there ar??e 2TB SSDs for PlayStation 5 as well �but expect to pay over $200. When shopping around, don't forget the heatsink!

I haven't made the SSD expansion jump yet, so I can't personally vouch for either of these, but I am getting dangerously close with PlayStation Plus Premium's game catalog crowding my PS5. If you're feeling stuck or could just use a refresher, Sony has the PS5 SSD requirements and installation process over here.

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Make your PlayStation feel a bit more personalized

Official means of customizing the look of your PlayStation 5 are expanding soon. Today, Sony Interactive Entertainment announced a new line of DualSense controllers, offering more options for those who want new colors. But there are also some o?ffic?ial Sony console covers on the way, to make it all match just right.

On the controller side, three new colors of DualSense will launch globally in January 2022. These are Nova Pink, Starlight Blue, and Galactic Purple. Alongside the Midnight Black and Cosmic Red DualSense, it certainly seems like they're going? for a space theme with PlayStation 5's visual variants.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFDhXXMVcBo

And to match the many co??s??mic colors of PlayStation 5's DualSense, Sony is also releasing some official PS5 covers. These are all based on the five DualSense colors mentioned above, so you can match the colors together or mix them up.

To attach covers, you'll just need to remove the base white cover and click the new ones into place. All the console covers will be available ??for both the disc drive and drive-less Digital Edition of the PlayStation 5.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgr2OZiS8xQ

The PS5 covers will have a staggered global release according to the PlayStation blog. Midnight Black and Cosmic Red will arrive at participating retailers in Jan. 2022 in the US, UK, Canada, and other select territories. Nova Pink, Galactic Purple, and Starlight Blue will also come to the sam?e areas sometime in the first half of 2022.

PlayStation Direct will also be selling some of the products, even early depending on your location. So if you want to scoop one up, it's worth checking out the Direct site.

I'm not sure if I'll dip into any of these new covers, but I do have a Midnight Black DualSense and like it a fair bit. If you're looking for a new DualSense, because maybe playing Tales of Arise followed by Deathloop annihilated your triggers, then at least there are a few more options available to make your gaming space more cosmic??ally colorful.

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PS4 games are feeling more like they should on PS5

While there have been some new games making use of the DualSense's haptics and triggers, plenty of backward-compatible PlayStation 4 games also use their own controller feedback. Today, The Last of Us Part II co-game director Kurt Margenau detailed just why those ar?e feeling better lately.

"As many of you are jumping back into TLOU2 on PS5, you may notice the haptics feel better," Margenau says. (The Last of Us Part II recently got a performance update for the PS5.) "This is actually thanks to a fi?rmware update to the DualSense contr??oller back in April."

As many of you are jumping back into TLOU2 on PS5, you may notice the haptics feel better. This is actually thanks to a firmware update to the DualSense controller back in April. THREAD: pic.twitter.com/zle0XQwDw6

— Kurt Margenau (@kurtmargenau) May 21, 2021

Margenau goes on to say that a few months ago, he was able to send some feedback to the DualSense team, in order to improve "certain timing, intensity, and 'texture' of haptics when in backw?ards compatibility (BC) mode." This was intended to bring the feel closer to what Naughty Dog created for the original DualShock 4.

The difference, as Margenau details, is inside the controller; the DualShock 4 has two different-sized rotating weights inside it, and the DualSense has two weights that move forward and backward, and can express frequency and amplitude at high fidelity with low latency. The firmware in the DualSense has to receive "old" signals, and then emulate the resultin??g feeling in the controller using a different mechanical method.

This means accounting for timing differences and emulating inherent variations and the "'rumbly' feeling" that comes with a rotating motor, and it's all done inside the controller, without the game code changing. The DualSense's internal haptics have already been impressive thus far in games like Astro's Playroom. This in-controller implementation to make PS4 game feedback feel right? Pretty mind-boggling work from the DualSense team and Margen?au to make it happen.

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Say hello to Cosmic Red and Midnight Black

The PlayStation 5's been o??ut for a little while now, and those looking to pick up a player-two player-three controller will finally be getting some options to change the color scheme up.

PlayStation announced today that two new colors for the PlayStation 5's DualSense are arriv??ing next month: Co??smic Red and Midnight Black. I gotta say, both look pretty sleek.

PlayStation says both colors will available at retailers starting next month, though date will vary by location. You can check out the PlayStation site for more details.

While I'm st??ill holding out hope for a classic grey DualShock throwback, at least PS5 owners will be able to va?ry up their controller lineup now. Much easier to differentiate whose-is-whose as local play becomes more of a reality.

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