Out of nowhere, Sony and PlayStation have officially unveiled the PS5 controller, and it’s not the DualShock 5, folks. Dubbed the DualSense, this next-gen controller looks like a natural evolution of the PS4’s DualShock 4 controller, which is now seven years old since its original debut in 2013.

As we already know from last year’s reveal, the PS5 DualSense controller will feature two important innovations: haptic technology and adaptive triggers.

Haptic feedback allows players to feel a variety of powerful sensations as they play, such as the grittiness of driving a car through the mud, while the new adaptive triggers of the L2 and R2 buttons makes them feel the realistic tension of certain actions, like when drawing a bow to shoot an arrow.

Besides those previously-announced features, there are four major differences between the PS4’s DualShock 4 and PS5’s DualSense controller:

1. A New Create Button In Place Of The Share Button

The PS5 DualSense controller now features a new Create button in place of the previous Share button on the DualShock 4. It will presumably offer the same functionality, but PlayStation is saving the details of what exactly the new Create button can actually do until we’re closer to launch.

2. A New Built-In Microphone Array

Another vital upgrade of the DualSense over the DualShock 4 is a new built-in microphone array which allows players to chat with friends even without headsets or earphones.

3. A New Two-Toned Colour Design

Every generation of the DualShock controller has generally had a single base colour, the most classic of which was usually black or grey. For the first time, the PS5’s DualSense controller will feature a two-toned design, and it looks like the first base colours are white and black.

4. A New Position For The Light Bar

Previously, the PS4 DualShock 4 featured one massive light bar above its touchpad, but the PS5 DualSense controller will instead feature two smaller light bars at each side of the touchpad.

Overall, the basic design of the DualShock 4 has clearly translated mostly intact to the new PS5’s DualSense controller, though PlayStation says that they went through “several concepts and hundreds of mockups over the last few years” before settling on this final design.

Sony Interactive Entertainment President & CEO Jim Ryan said:

“DualSense marks a radical departure from our previous controller offerings and captures just how strongly we feel about making a generational leap with PS5.

The new controller, along with the many innovative features in PS5, will be transformative for games – continuing our mission at PlayStation to push the boundaries of play, now and in the future.

To the PlayStation community, I truly want to thank you for sharing this exciting journey with us as we head toward PS5’s launch in Holiday 2020.

We look forward to sharing more information about PS5, including the console design, in the coming months.”

With the PS5’s controller out of the way, it might not be long now until we finally get to see the actual console itself. In the meantime, head on over here to check out all our other PS5-related news and feature articles.