In a post to their official blog, Sony announced that your old PS4 controller won’t be completely useless on the PS5. The cost of a new gaming system can see upwards of $600 for the box and controllers. Because of this backwards compatibility is one of the biggest asks from gamers. In an era where USB-C and HDMI are nearly ubiquitous, gamers don’t see much of a reason as to why old peripherals can’t work with newer consoles.
It’s not entirely shocking that the PS4 controller will not work with the the PS5. In generations previous, it wasn’t common place to use old tech without special adapters. And according to Sony, the Dual Sense controller boasts new functions like “adaptive triggers” that emulate tension. So the pull of a bow string would make the triggers on the controller harder to push as the string becomes more taut. The old PS4 stick wouldn’t have any of the new capabilities, and that may drastically change a game’s development. With that said, any PS4 games you have installed will be able to use the old controller so don’t toss them out if you need spare sticks for an old classic. But according to leaks, the Dual Sense supposedly boasts a much larger battery/play time. So the investment for the new controller might be worth the plunge.
Also featured in the post is compatibility info on which PS4 accessories would work with the next-gen console. And the answer was surprisingly more than you would think. Specialty controllers like arcade/fight sticks and racing wheels made for the PS4 will have full functionality on the PS5. So will the official PS4 branded headsets. The PS Move Motion controller and the PS4 Camera will all work with the new console, but the camera will require an adapter. Sony said that the special adapter will be provided “at no additional cost” to PS VR users.