The PlayStation 5’s DualSense controller will come with some pretty interesting features, but one is leaving some players concerned about privacy. Sony recently revealed the DualSense controller, surprising many who weren’t expecting such a major change from the previous DualShock line.
Information about the PS5 has been coming slowly, leaving many fans impatient to learn what’s coming next from Sony. While the PS5’s specs have been revealed, players have yet to see how that translates to actual in-game performance. When it comes to games, very few next-gen titles have even been revealed so far, with just a handful of confirmed PS5 games and a larger list of games that it’s assumed will make their way to the console.
Now that the DualSense has been revealed, it’s raising some important questions along with its impressive details. One key feature that the new controller adds is a built-in microphone array that could eliminate the need for a headset. The microphone will allow players to chat with each other in online games and there’s also been talk of the PS5 using voice commands. However, the presence of a microphone is also raising serious issues about privacy, especially considering its high-tech features. According to a patent, the DualSense microphone will be able to identify players' voices to better filter out background noise. While that could make the microphone much more useful to players, it may also open the door for Sony to collect a lot of data about its users from conversations happening around the controller. IGN’s executive tech editor Bo Moore also warns that it will be up to game developers to ensure that the microphone is off by default or it could be capturing players’ voices without them even realizing it.
No matter what privacy issues the DualSense’s microphone raises, they’re probably not going to be enough to keep players away from the console altogether. Even without a release date, players are still eager to get their hands on the DualSense and the PS5. Along with the potentially troubling microphone, the new controller will also feature haptic feedback in its triggers in addition to its expected rumble features, giving developers yet another tool to help immerse players in their games.
While most players likely won’t consider the DualSense’s microphones to be any more of a privacy threat than cell phone or devices like Amazon’s Alexa already pose, adding another potential point of exposure for personal information is never a good thing. Sony itself has a history of leaking users’ data, making it even more important for the console maker to be clear about how it’s protecting PlayStation 5 players’ privacy.
Source: Bo Moore/Twitter