PS5 will be compatible with the PS4 controller — but there's a catch

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Sony gives us a glimpse at what PS4 hardware will work with PS5

PS5
(Image credit: PlayStation)

Sony has published a blog post that details which PS4 accessories will work with the PS5 when it launching this holiday season.

In the blog post, Isabelle Tomatis, PlayStation VR, Peripherals Marketing and Licensing at Sony, shared a brief FAQ. The most shocking detail was that the DualShock 4 controller will be able to connect to the PS5 to play PS4 games, but it won't be compatible with PS5 games.

PS5 FAQ

Before talking about how you're not able to fully utilize the PS4 controller, here are the other accessories mentioned in the post.

Firstly, specialty peripherals, such as "officially licensed" racing wheels, arcade sticks and flight sticks, will work with PS5 games and PS4 games. Meanwhile, the Platinum and Gold Wireless Headsets, as well as anything with a USB port or audio jack, will work on PS5. However, the headset companion app is not compatible with PS5.

We have some good news for the virtual reality lovers: Both the PS Move Motion Controllers and the PlayStation VR Aim Controller will work with PS VR games on PS5. To top it off, the PlayStation Camera will also work with the PS5, although it'll need a PlayStation Camera adapter, which comes at no additional cost to you.

Now, back to the virtually worthless PS4 controller. Sony claims that "PS5 games should take advantage of the new capabilities and features we’re bringing to the platform, including the features of DualSense wireless controller."

That sounds pretty elitist when you look at the Xbox One controller being fully compatible with the Xbox Series X without restrictions. Hopefully, Sony will back out of this mindset and make it so the controller works with PS5 games as well. People shouldn't have to buy additional controllers just to play a couch co-op game they'll touch once a month.

Rami Tabari
Rami Tabari
Editor

Rami Tabari is an Editor for Laptop Mag. He reviews every shape and form of a laptop as well as all sorts of cool tech. You can find him sitting at his desk surrounded by a hoarder's dream of laptops, and when he navigates his way out to civilization, you can catch him watching really bad anime or playing some kind of painfully difficult game. He’s the best at every game and he just doesn’t lose. That’s why you’ll occasionally catch his byline attached to the latest Souls-like challenge.