Imagine a DualSense controller with a detachable touchscreen — that’s Sony’s latest idea

For a company that’s already given us adaptive triggers, haptic feedback, and replaceable thumbsticks, Sony apparently isn’t done experimenting with the humble controller. A newly published PlayStation patent reveals that the company is exploring a modular controller featuring a detachable touchscreen, magnetic components, and a rotating navigation dial. While there’s no guarantee it’ll ever become a real product, it’s certainly one of Sony’s more ambitious controller concepts yet.

A DualSense… but far more modular

According to the patent, the controller replaces the familiar DualSense touchpad with a small detachable touchscreen that can display console menus, settings, notifications, and messages. Unlike a standard display, the screen can also function like a smartphone touchscreen and may even be physically clickable. Even more interestingly, both the display and the accompanying navigation dial can be magnetically attached to different positions on the controller, allowing users to customize the layout to their liking.

The rotating dial serves as more than just a fancy scroll wheel. Sony says it could be used to quickly browse menus, navigate settings, and confirm selections with a press, potentially making it easier to adjust console options without interrupting gameplay. The patent also suggests the controller could display incoming phone calls and messages, automatically pausing the game if the player chooses to interact with those notifications.

Additionally, as highlighted by MP1st, the modular design is intended to let players arrange input components in different locations based on personal preference, rather than being locked into the traditional fixed layout found on most controllers. The concept combines a controller body, detachable input modules, a graphical interface, and a rotating control mechanism into a single customizable device.

Don’t expect it to launch anytime soon

The concept also fits neatly into Sony’s recent direction. With products like the Access Controller and DualSense Edge, the company has been giving players more ways to customize how they play. A modular controller could be the next logical step, letting gamers rearrange controls to better suit different games or simply what feels most comfortable.

That said, this is still just a patent, and history has shown that plenty of ambitious ideas never become real products. But it’s certainly a fun one to imagine. If nothing else, it shows Sony is still thinking beyond the traditional gamepad, which is always welcome.