Sony Interactive Entertainment has unveiled a thought-provoking patent for a new kind of controller. In this design, the buttons can change their resistance and tactile feel—either tightening up or giving way—depending on what appears on the screen. Sony first filed the patent request with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the United Nations body responsible for patents, in November 2024. It was formally published in May of this year, according to Cheat Happens.
In the patent, Sony explains that the controller could respond—either to moment-to-moment gameplay behavior or to settings chosen by the player—by adjusting the firmness and resistance of the internal systems that react to each button press. These changes are achieved using a magneto-viscoelastic elastomer, a material that can stiffen or soften based on signals sent from magnets linked to the controller.
Sony’s approach also notes that the magnets could be driven by the game itself, producing a magnetic field that varies in strength according to what’s happening on-screen. The company’s materials further hint at the possibility of using fluid-filled membranes to create a comparable effect.
On top of that, the patent considers an additional idea where the player’s finger can effectively “press in” to the button, while the button becomes firmer around it. This could, in theory, help recreate physical sensations like feeling an opponent grab you or getting stuck in mud, though the intended use is still a bit unclear in how it’s described.
Sony’s proposed direction echoes the kinds of patents that appeared before the PS5’s DualSense controller launched. The DualSense is notable in several ways, especially because it uses haptic motors and compact speakers to deliver a level of physical feedback that other controllers haven’t matched. The adaptive triggers were also a major step forward, allowing developers to tailor how much pressure a player needs to apply—based on, for instance, the weapon they’re using in-game.
While this newly revealed controller concept, featuring adjustable firmness, may be difficult to picture right now, Sony has already confirmed it’s working on its next-generation PlayStation. So, if the patent moves forward, it could turn into a core capability in a refreshed DualSense controller.
Even though Sony hasn’t announced a final PS6 price or release timeline, recent reports suggest a launch sometime in 2028 or 2029. That’s far enough in the future that this kind of technology could still make its way into a production version.