Sony’s PlayStation VR (PSVR) is a great headset with arguably the strongest library of any VR device out there, but it’s no secret that the PlayStation Move controllers hold it back somewhat. We’ve heard rumors that a new controller may be on the way and now a new patent might give us our first look at it.
The patent, filed by Sony Interactive Entertainment in Japan and published earlier this month, features a new controller that looks like it could be the perfect replacement for the Moves. While the overall form factor might appear a little similar to the Move there are several big differences including, most importantly, what looks like an analog stick in the center. The lack of this stick on the original Move has proved to be a big pain point for PSVR games that feature smooth locomotion, so it’s great to see that this issue could be addressed in the future.
Elsewhere, it looks like the controller is fitted with a wide array of buttons, including the essential trigger on the back and what looks like four buttons along with (presumably) the circular home button at the top. There’s even a hand strap to help you keep your grip on reality. What we can’t tell right now is if this controller might be able to solve Move’s occlusion issues, which prevent them from working properly when PSVR’s camera can’t see them.
Another patent, released on the same day (but filed in 2017), also mentions being able to track the location of the user’s fingers, suggesting we might see some form of hand-tracking in a possible new controller.
As interesting as these patents are, there’s no way of telling if Sony will actually ever release these controllers. The patent was filed back in July 2016, a few months before PSVR’s launch, so there’s a good chance they’ve since been altered based on the feedback from experiences released so far.
