Sony's teaser for the PlayStation 5 reveal event showed off what may be a look at a new DualSense controller, possibly showcasing a new, black variation of the next-generation gamepad. Both the PlayStation 5 and the Xbox Series X are still on track to release before the end of 2020. Nevertheless, neither Sony nor Microsoft have truly gone all-out with revealing their plan as it pertains to the new generation of video game consoles. With the summer season in full swing (courtesy of Geoff Keighley's Summer Game Fest), all eyes are on the two hardware giants to finally pull back the curtain on their next-gen plans.
Microsoft has come under fire for their May 20/20 Xbox Showcase, which promised gameplay reveals for a variety of titles, but only delivered brief snippets of in-engine footage. For their part, Sony has expressed an interest in not repeating Microsoft's mistakes, so the gaming public is keenly looking forward to the June 4 PlayStation 5 reveal as the true start of the next-gen console wars.
Sony has already revealed its next-gen controller, the DualSense. The gamepad incorporates haptic feedback to allow greater immersion for players to truly "feel" their way through PS5 titles. So far, Sony has only shown a two-toned white version of the controller, but the YouTube teaser for the June 4 PS5 event seems to reveal the existence of a black DualSense, as pointed out by many, including industry analyst Nibel. It's possible the lighting of the clip only makes the controller look black, but the original color scheme was met with a mixed reception by fans, so Sony may be seeking to curb criticism by having a black model available alongside the default color scheme.
Ever since the PlayStation 2 back in 2000, Sony's default controller color schemes have erred the side of a simple black design. However, a wide variety of other colors have traditionally been made available post-launch. There are currently dozens of different colors for the DualShock 4, including white, gold, and even more exotic options. For the PlayStation 5, Sony wanted to move in a new direction, hence the sleek white design.
The excitement and debate regarding the color of the PlayStation 5 DualSense controller is an indictment of the shortage of next-gen info provided by Sony thus far. Prospective customers would surely prefer to discuss the PS5's roster of exclusive titles or its next-gen user interface, or how backward compatible games perform compared to their original PS4 versions. Still, Sony has yet to fully show off those features. If video game enthusiasts are going to get excited for the next generation of gaming, Sony needs to make sure their June 4 PlayStation 5 event is a spectacular game-changer.