I think Sony should build it, but take a different approach.
There's an undeniable opportunity here for a revised Dualshock 4, which is also the third iteration of Playstation Vita. Bear with me for a second...
(The Vita perspective)
Vita is in a weird position right now. Sony was forced to pivot the initial marketing strategy of "AAA gaming in your pocket", but they never found a consistent pitch every since then. They left negativity surround the platform and most people (gamers included) seriously underrate the machine's catalog, number of games available/scheduled and even major features the console has. You would be shocked if you witnessed the amount of existing Vita users on reddit that get, for instance, surprised by the console's capability of playing PSOne and PSP digital games.
When people put in mind all the games that are available on Vita, you suddenly have one of the platforms with most games available, and a catalog that is rich in classics from the past, as well as most of the best independent games of the last decade. And, yes, it's also home to a great selection of mid-budget, original Japanese games.
And then you add Remote Play to the mix. A fantastic feature (if you have the right setup) and this is where it ties with the PS4 / Dualshock4.
Current Remote Play users wish they could emulate the controls 1:1. In gaming forums it's usual to see a thread pop up weekly with a user asking if he can connect its Dualshock4 to a Vita, to play with the controller instead of the Vita.
(The Dualshock 4 perspective)
Microsoft has set the precedent here, by putting a $150 controller on the market. This leaves Sony room to counter with something of its own, let's say in the $150-200 region.
Could they sell a $150-200 Dualshock4 controller, with a bigger body, and a touchscreen replacing its touchpad?
Pack a Vita inside, hardware wise. The software is already in place: PSTV can connect to a Dualshock4 enabling full 1:1 button reproduction, in PS4 Remote Play and PSOne digital games (something that the regular Vita doesn't achieve).
They don't even need to bother bringing the backtouch panel of Vita. You lose some games like Tearaway, but I think you could gain a lot more in the process. Sony already ships the Vita for $150-$200 in most regions. Is it really a wild dream to think about this possibility?
(The NX perspective)
There is a third relevant reason for this move. The Nintendo NX is on the horizon and all signs point to it being an hybrid ecosystem, of stationary / handheld console. Obviously, we can imagine that the handheld device will be able to play some games on its own, and probably stream the most graphically intensive games from the stationary device, acting like a dumb terminal, like the Wii U gamepad.
The best way to counter Nintendo's strategy (and Sony likes to do this kind of "Move") would be to release an updated Vita / Dualshock4, because it could easily nullify the value proposition of NX. Sony even has the advantage of having an already built infrastructure, with the PSN digital catalog, trophies and the PS Now cloud service from their Gaikai investment.
(Bottom line)
Yes, I think they could build an Elite PS4 controller. But don't stop at replaceable sticks and buttons: give it a touchscreen and put a Vita's heart inside. Personally, I would be much more excited to buy a product like that, rather than something like VR.
Comments 1
Re: Talking Point: Should Sony Build an Elite DualShock 4 Controller for PS4?
I think Sony should build it, but take a different approach.
There's an undeniable opportunity here for a revised Dualshock 4, which is also the third iteration of Playstation Vita. Bear with me for a second...
(The Vita perspective)
Vita is in a weird position right now. Sony was forced to pivot the initial marketing strategy of "AAA gaming in your pocket", but they never found a consistent pitch every since then. They left negativity surround the platform and most people (gamers included) seriously underrate the machine's catalog, number of games available/scheduled and even major features the console has. You would be shocked if you witnessed the amount of existing Vita users on reddit that get, for instance, surprised by the console's capability of playing PSOne and PSP digital games.
When people put in mind all the games that are available on Vita, you suddenly have one of the platforms with most games available, and a catalog that is rich in classics from the past, as well as most of the best independent games of the last decade. And, yes, it's also home to a great selection of mid-budget, original Japanese games.
And then you add Remote Play to the mix. A fantastic feature (if you have the right setup) and this is where it ties with the PS4 / Dualshock4.
Current Remote Play users wish they could emulate the controls 1:1. In gaming forums it's usual to see a thread pop up weekly with a user asking if he can connect its Dualshock4 to a Vita, to play with the controller instead of the Vita.
(The Dualshock 4 perspective)
Microsoft has set the precedent here, by putting a $150 controller on the market. This leaves Sony room to counter with something of its own, let's say in the $150-200 region.
Could they sell a $150-200 Dualshock4 controller, with a bigger body, and a touchscreen replacing its touchpad?
Pack a Vita inside, hardware wise. The software is already in place: PSTV can connect to a Dualshock4 enabling full 1:1 button reproduction, in PS4 Remote Play and PSOne digital games (something that the regular Vita doesn't achieve).
They don't even need to bother bringing the backtouch panel of Vita. You lose some games like Tearaway, but I think you could gain a lot more in the process. Sony already ships the Vita for $150-$200 in most regions. Is it really a wild dream to think about this possibility?
(The NX perspective)
There is a third relevant reason for this move. The Nintendo NX is on the horizon and all signs point to it being an hybrid ecosystem, of stationary / handheld console. Obviously, we can imagine that the handheld device will be able to play some games on its own, and probably stream the most graphically intensive games from the stationary device, acting like a dumb terminal, like the Wii U gamepad.
The best way to counter Nintendo's strategy (and Sony likes to do this kind of "Move") would be to release an updated Vita / Dualshock4, because it could easily nullify the value proposition of NX. Sony even has the advantage of having an already built infrastructure, with the PSN digital catalog, trophies and the PS Now cloud service from their Gaikai investment.
(Bottom line)
Yes, I think they could build an Elite PS4 controller. But don't stop at replaceable sticks and buttons: give it a touchscreen and put a Vita's heart inside. Personally, I would be much more excited to buy a product like that, rather than something like VR.