The Evolution Of The PlayStation Controller

The PlayStation brand has carved out its own identity over the last few decades, in no small part because of the iconic line of PlayStation controllers. From the very start the PlayStation design was influential, having popularized elements like dual shoulder buttons and a handlebar design. But the company has continued to drive trends with elements like vibration, pressure-sensitive buttons, and a touchpad.

Not every experiment was a success, however. The much-derided boomerang controller never even made it to market, and its replacement, the Sixaxis, removed a popular feature. The path of the PlayStation controller has been a rocky one, and we outline all of it in the video above as we look ahead to the PlayStation 5 controller, the DualSense.