Sony’s new patent shows the company is doubling down on mobile gaming, and that could mean more advanced controller features for your iPhone or Android phone, similar to those found in PlayStation’s DualSense and DualShock controllers.
Mobile gaming is one of the most lucrative parts of the gaming industry right now. Millions of players in the East prefer to play games on their smartphones rather than home consoles, and gaming corporations are responding in part with special mobile versions of popular franchises.
Sony is among those companies that are joining the promotion of mobile games in the West. PlayStation boss Jim Ryan has said that PlayStation game franchises will be coming to phones and tablets in the coming years. This push towards mobile devices makes Sony’s new patent exciting as it indicates that a dedicated peripheral controller for mobile devices may be in the works.
A diagram showing an example of an operation registration screen.
We can already use the PlayStation DualSense and DualShock 4 wireless controllers with mobile devices, and this is definitely a good way to go if you like these gamepads or want to play on a PS4 or PS5 console remotely. But a dedicated PlayStation controller for mobile gaming is the best chance to use the more advanced features of Sony’s controllers on your iPhone or Android phone.
Diagram showing an example of a virtual button set on a touchpad.
The patent shows a drawing of a DualShock 4 controller surrounding a smartphone. A controller with docking features is nothing new, but Sony’s peripheral has a lot of potential for the future. Namely, the inclusion of improved tactile characteristics of the DualSense PS5 controller. These tactile sensations and adaptive triggers add immersive elements to games by simulating feelings with the controller. These sensations are not often used in mobile games, but Sony’s enhanced rumble could pave the way for further adoption in the future.
Another diagram showing an example of an operation registration screen.
In addition to the vibration features, Sony could use the peripheral for its new service, which will reportedly arrive next year. The new service, according to Bloomberg, will merge Sony’s PS Now and PS Plus services into one, adding an ever-growing library of PSP and PlayStation 1, 2 and 3 games for a monthly fee.
Combining this news with other recent Sony cloud patents (including 5G support, graphical enhancements, and continued play on other devices) indicates that a direct competitor to Xbox Game Pass and Xbox Cloud Gaming may be in the works. If Sony implemented cloud gaming for PlayStation, you could use your phone to stream games online.
Because smartphones are essentially a touchpad, games that use the DualShock 4 and DualSense touchpad must work with the proprietary controller. Such a use would be a boon for PS Remote Play, a feature on both PS4 and PS5 that allows you to stream video from your console to your smartphone so you can play games remotely.
The PS Remote Play app comes with touch controls, but it’s not as good as a regular PlayStation controller. Using a peripheral device can make it easier to use the service. The only alternative to touch controls is using a DualShock 4 or DualSense controller connected via Bluetooth.
With Sony’s new dedicated game controller, you can dock your phone and use it like a Nintendo Switch. PS Remote Play functionality with the proposed controller can also be used as a suitable second controller. All you have to do is let someone else use the peripheral and connect to the console with their smartphone via the PS Remote Play app.
Whatever Sony has planned for a patent will likely take at least a year, if not more, before an actual product comes along. Sony has patented a lot of ideas for the PlayStation that will never see the light of day, so it’s also possible that a mobile game controller will never arrive. However, given all the company’s moves and recent interviews, it’s more likely that it’s already in development than it isn’t.