Leak suggests the PlayStation 4 Slim will introduce an updated controller, too

By Brad Jones August 23, 2016

dual shock 4 playstation slim — ZRZ

Sony is yet to officially announce the slim version of its PlayStation 4 console, but a series of leaks has offered up plenty of information on what consumers can expect from the hardware revision. The new model has already been spotted out in the wild, and now we’ve been given a good look at its accompanying DualShock 4 controller.

A new video from YouTube user ZRZ sheds light on the new version of the controller, which features a couple of minor changes from the peripheral that launched alongside the PlayStation 4 in 2013.

For one, there’s now a light that shines through a newly transparent portion of the touchpad. This will apparently replace the existing indicator light that’s built into the current model of the PlayStation 4 console, according to a report from Polygon.

There’s also a modest tweak to the controller’s face buttons, shoulder buttons, directional pad, and analog sticks. Rather than sharing the same shade of black as the rest of the device, they’re now a slightly lighter shade of gray.

It seems that the footage is indeed legitimate, as Sony has already submitted a copyright claim to have the offending clip de-listed from YouTube.

There are pervasive rumors that Sony plans to unveil both the slim version of its PlayStation 4 and the mysterious PlayStation Neo at an event in New York City on September 7. However, there may well be little left to reveal once that date rolls around.

The Neo has been among the worst kept secrets in the video game industry since rumors began to circulate ahead of this year’s E3 event, and over the past week we’ve seen plenty of the revised PlayStation 4. Public awareness of these products will definitely benefit Sony in the long run, but these leaks could make next month’s event something of an anticlimax.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Brad is an English-born writer currently splitting his time between Edinburgh and Pennsylvania. You can find him on Twitter…

Gaming

I would buy a PlayStation Portal 2 if it had this one feature

A Pulse Elite, DualSense, and PlayStation Portal sit on a table.

I've had a bit of a love-hate relationship with the PlayStation Portal since it launched. Initially, I was disappointed by Sony's cloud streaming device. I was impressed with its screen and appreciated its DualSense integration, but its slimmeddown features made it feel like a cheap version of a good idea. I've since learned to find a use case for my PlayStation Portal that turned it into an integral part of my gaming setup. It's very imperfect, but that doesn't mean it's not useful.

Ever since its launch, I've been hoping for a refreshed follow-up, whether that be a Pro model or a true PlayStation Portal 2. It may be way too early to start discussing that considering that the Portal just launched in November 2023, but the promising device has enough glaring flaws that I'd welcome a fast-tracked successor. If Sony were to make a PlayStation Portal 2, though, there's one feature that's nonnegotiable: Bluetooth.

Gaming

Sony shows off a futuristic PlayStation controller, but don’t get too excited

A concept controller from Sony. IT shows two joysticks on either side of a ring.

In its annual corporate strategy meeting, Sony debuted a video that featured a blink-and-you'll-miss-it concept for a redesigned game controller.

The presentation, which you can watch below, was dedicated to talking about Sony's future "creative entertainment vision," and included a lot of talk about the metaverse, mixed reality, and what it perceives as the future of game development. During a segment that showed off many futuristic-looking devices, you can see a circular controller working with a projected screen.

Gaming

You can play this 2018 open-world hit for free if you have PlayStation Plus

Arthur Morgan walks into a burning house in Red Dead Redemption 2.

If you somehow haven't played the 2018 open-world classic Red Dead Redemption 2 yet and you have a PlayStation Plus subscription, we have good news. PlayStation announced in a blog post Wednesday that the game will be available for free for the Plus program's Extra and Premium tiers.

Subscribers can play this massive hit, along with 12 other games, starting on May 21. Users will also get access to Red Dead Online, the game's multiplayer experience that allows players to create their own character and mess around inside the world as they see fit -- from forming a group of outlaws to rob people on the road to hunting animals.