Sony’s Touchscreen Controller: The Button-Free (Sort Of) Revolution
Hold onto those controllers, gamers, because Sony is cooking up something that could turn the gaming world upside down. Imagine a controller that doesn’t just have buttons but lets players pick their button placements with a touchscreen! Yes, a touchscreen on a controller—what could possibly go wrong?
The Patent Adventure
This brilliant idea was filed back in February 2013—plenty of time to let the excitement simmer—before finally being granted last week. Naturally, the patent has been dubbed “designs and methods for a game controller.” Riveting title, right? The suspense is killing everyone.
Picture this: a controller where the buttons are replaced by a vast touchscreen that takes up most of the surface area. Who wouldn’t want their gaming to resemble a giant smartphone?
Customize Your Control Chaos
Get ready to turn traditional gaming on its head! Players will have the luxury of deciding where the D-Pad, sticks, or action buttons go—because nothing screams “serious gamer” quite like rearranging everything into chaos.
In a world where gamers often argue over whether the D-Pad goes on the left or right, now it can go… wherever it pleases! And here’s the kicker: buttons can even be resized or eradicated. Imagine diving into a platformer, tweaking the layout, and then deciding to swap out 12 buttons for a single massive jump button. Brilliant, right? Who needs finesse when one oversized button will do?
Revolutionary or Ridiculously Risky?
Of course, this dazzling new design is based on a simple premise: current controllers are fixed in size and layout, often leading to discomfort. The patent explains, “Often conventional controllers adhere to a similar control interface…” That’s code for “We’ve been stuck with the same design since the dawn of time.”
Now, players will be able to mold their controller to fit magical hand shapes instead of feeling like they are trying to play with a medieval weapon! No longer must gamers cringe at layouts that are ill-suited for their unique hand dimensions. Because “small hands” aren’t just an issue for handshakes anymore!
Ultimate Control or Calamitous Chaos?
Now, speaking of chaos, let’s not forget the Turbo Touch 360 from the ’90s. A controller that thought it was revolutionary by swapping out the D-Pad for a touchpad and ended up giving players unintentional character moves as they simply rested their thumbs. Genius! If only Sony can avoid making that same move, one can only hope.
The fine folks at Sony have acknowledged this concern in the patent, promising a touchscreen equipped with both pressure and heat sensors. Is this a new level of sophistication or just fancy terminology for “we hope this works”? Only time will tell!
Will This Actually See The Light of Day?
Now, before anyone gets too excited, let’s not forget that just because a patent exists doesn’t mean a product is imminent. After all, one of the consoles might just turn into a high-tech paperweight
So, while the prospect of a customizable touchscreen gaming controller sounds intriguing (or an impending disaster), the world is left to ponder whether this will be the dawn of a new age in gaming or just another chapter in the whimsical saga of gaming innovation. Keep those fingers crossed—or maybe just customize a button for that!
