A potential successor to the iconic DualSense might be on the way, as Sony’s latest controller patent hints at next-gen controller tech. According to a new patent, Sony is experimenting with a controller equipped with adaptive buttons that feel different depending on what’s happening in the game.

Sony’s New Patent Reveals Futuristic Controller Buttons That Harden or Soften During Gameplay

While PS6‘s release date and price haven’t been finalized yet, a new Sony controller patent has been unearthed by Cheat Happens. Sony submitted the controller patent application titled “OPERATION DEVICE, INFORMATION PROCESSING APPARATUS, CONTROL METHOD THEREOF, AND PROGRAM” to the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) all the way back in November 2024, and it has only recently been uncovered.

According to a new controller patent, the PlayStation controller’s buttons and triggers could harden or soften based on your gameplay scenario to help players immerse themselves and feel the situation through their fingertips. This is all made possible by a magnetoviscoelastic elastomer that continuously changes the magnetic field strength. Alternatively, Sony is also experimenting with fluid-filled membranes to achieve the same effect without relying on magnets.

The controller patent also describes a new ‘finger seize’ mechanism, in which the next-gen buttons initially soften to allow players to press the button harder. Then the buttons suddenly stiffen up to simulate a sensation of being trapped. This effect can come in handy when your character gets trapped or is grabbed by an enemy in the game.

Now, it sounds so cool on paper, but whether this tech can be made a reality is still up in the air. Even if Sony somehow engineers this next-gen controller tech, will every player like the sensation of being sucked in by their controllers? We will have to wait and find out. Sony has already heightened immersion in its first-party games like Saros, which made smart use of the DualSense’s adaptive triggers and haptic feedback.

There is no guarantee that all the next-gen features mentioned in the patent will come to fruition in the future. But it is good to see Sony working to take players to the next level of immersion through contemporary controller features. Let’s wait and see if Sony’s next-in-line controller has the unique adaptive buttons around the time PS6 launches. In the meantime, what do you think about these strange features of Sony’s controller patent? Let us know in the comments below.