PS4 Controllers

Games
1

Maybe someone can explain something to me. Why does Sony not allow anyone to create wireless controllers for the PS4?

Here’s my situation. I play shooters, and games like titanfall or COD benefit from rear facing buttons for jumping. On the XBox, you have the XBox elite controller, which is a really nicely built piece of hardware, and provides rear facing paddles.

On the PS4 side of the house, you basically have a few options like ScufGaming, where folks modify regular PS4 controllers, and then charge through the nose for them.

Now, fairly recently they announced that Sony was finally going to support some controllers with rear triggers and programmable buttons, from Razer and Nacon, and they look cool enough… but then I realized, while the cables are detachable, the controllers themselves aren’t wireless.

This is mind blowing to me.

I mean, ok, I guess that in a LAN tournament setup the trivial input lag from a wireless connection to the console may have some impact, and so you’d want a wired connection. But I’m playing from my living room, online, for fun. Wireless connection to the console is fine, and any delay will be totally trivial compared to network latency.

And this controller is looking like it’s gonna cost $150? And it can’t be used wirelessly?

That blew my mind, but then looking further, I realized that NO ONE makes a wireless controller for the PS4, which leads me to believe that Sony must just refuse to allow anyone to do this.

What’s the deal here? Why on earth is this the case?

2

Is Microsoft allowing that on xb1? Don’t think they ever did for 360. PDP doesn’t have one…

3

There was that patent filing last year that made it seem like Sony would make their own, but then they denied it. It’s too bad. I would’ve liked more than one first-party choice for use on PC.

4

Not sure, but at least with them they actually made a really good controller.

Sony hasn’t made one, and also won’t let anyone ELSE make one.

The fact that they are officially licensing Razer to make a controller… but still not allowing it to be wireless? That seems really sketchy.

Like, what exactly is going on with that wireless connection?

Oh, and also, apparently wired controllers can’t even turn on the console when you press the PS button? So you’d have to turn it on by hand on the console? Which seems nuts.

5

Again, just like Microsoft. not seeing the big deal.

6

Sorry, I’m not saying that there’s some weird conspiracy, although I honestly am wondering why they’re so tight about controlling it…

My main complaint is that Sony isn’t making a good wireless controller, and won’t let anyone else.

If Microsoft doesn’t let anyone else, at least THEY make one.

7

This is definitely a deliberate restriction on Sony’s part because the Logitech Harmony devices aren’t allowed to power on the system, and the only third party device that can is the licensed, Playstation branded PDP remote. Baffling to me and a restriction I’d like to see go away.

If nothing else I’ve switched to the Xbone for my Netflix device, and since it’s already on might as well play a few games on it… not a situation Sony wants, I’d imagine.

8

Damn good to know about the PS4. I was just thinking about what to do with my entertainment center to simplify controls for my family. I don’t even have an AV receiver.

It’s crazy we don’t have an all-in-one solution yet in 2016. Maybe write an AI that can work the remotes.

9

Harmony works quite well, other than the ps4 turn on thing. I have to wonder whether it is possible to get that to work somehow though.

10

I had my Samsung KS8000 TV turning on the PS4 when I switched to its input when I had the HDMI control turned on.

However, I eventually had to disable it because Samsung’s audio design sucks and switching inputs threw all audio back to two-channel, so I’m using optical audio and disabled the HDMI control. I’m always using a controller when the PS4 is on anyway, since I use the Xbox One and Tivo for streaming services.

11

I use it the opposite way, where turning on the PS4 via the controller has the TV automatically switch to the PS4 input.

12

I was looking into some xbox style controllers for the PS4 and stumbled upon the Hori FPS Pad Plus

Does anyone have any experience with that?
Looks like the other option would be the Nacon Revolution Pro, though that one is rather pricey.

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(Background Info: Basically I’m looking at buying either a PS4 or XBone this year for Red Dead Redemption 2 and since I’ve never owned a Sony console, I’m thinking that this would be a chance to go through their exclusive catalogue (Last of Us, Uncharted…etc). However since I’m used to the MS controller I would like to find a PS4 controller with that button / stick configuration.)

– Or should I just forget about that idea and stick with the Xbone? I mean Sea of Thieves looks like fun!

13

I don’t find it that difficult to switch between controllers.

14

The issues with all PS4 controllers other than the basic Sony ones, is that they aren’t wireless. For me, that’s garbage.

At this stage, I don’t think I’d recommend to folks to buy a PS4. I’d lean towards an XBone… although even there, I’d actually wait for their project Scorpio thing that should be out later this year.

Aside from the controller, Sony’s attempt at a network is just pure amateur hour compared to Microsoft’s XBox Live.

15

I’d totall recommend PS4 over Xbone, but it does depend on tastes. With PS4 you get Bloodborne, Horizon, Nioh, Uncharted, Ratchet, Yakuza, etc and upcoming stuff like the new God of War and Spider-Man or Ni No Kuni and whatever crazy thing Kojima is cooking up. On the whole I think it’s far stronger with exclusives.

Also on topic, the PS4 controller is quite good and it’s easy to go from Xbox to PS4 controller, at least for me. It’s a big improvement on the old PS3 controller.

And outside of some slow downloads I’m not sure what you find better about Xbox Live over PSN at this point.

16

It’s fine, but compared to the XBox Elite controller, the PS4 controller is a joke, and Sony refuses to offer a real alternative to the Elite controller because of… reasons?

Literally everything about XBL is better than PSN. Literally everything.
The party integration with all games is better, the network stability is better, the overall experience as a whole is far more polished and better in every way.

PSN, today, is inferior to XBL from like 5 years ago. That’s how bad it is. It’s an unstable mess, with inconsistent integration with games. I constantly experience the PSN either failing to create parties because something is screwed up with the network, or having parties crap out with folks getting dropped from the party and having to rejoin. The PSN party system is separate from the party system in games, so you end up having to make parties on the PSN, and THEN make a party in the game.

Again, it’s just amateur compared to how XBL handles it. Even years ago, XBL was far more stable and usable than PSN’s network is today.

17

I don’t actually play much multiplayer games, so don’t intend to pay for Live / PSN, so the nature of the network isn’t a big priority at the moment.

Zero Dawn Horizon looks interesting and like I said, there are a few games from the PS3 days that I never played. But the few times I’ve used my friends PS, I just could not get comfortable with the controller.

Perhaps I should just stick to the Xbone, than buying a PS4 and relying on a 3rd party controller…

18

Have you actually held a PS4 controller?

19

Uh… really? This is serious hyperbole, dude. We play on PSN every damn day and I really don’t see me or my kids having any of the issues you’re talking about. And yes, I also play on Xbox Live on Xbox One so I can compare the two rather easily.

There really isn’t much difference between the two as forge has already said, and the amount of exclusives on PS4 makes it the system to own unless you really need Halo, Gears and Forza.

20

This used to happen all the time on the 360. I can’t say if they addressed it with the One, but that was a frequent occurrence on the 360 that’s for sure.