How Sony is trying to solve the DualSense controller drift issues

Sony’s PlayStation 5 console and the DualSense controller have faced multiple issues since their launch. According to a report by TechRadar, the Japanese company is currently facing a lawsuit alleging that the PS5 console was released with a known defect. Another IGN report states that a US law firm has filed a class action lawsuit in 2021 that highlights the drift issues in the DualSense controller. However, a recent report by Metro claims that Sony has filed a patent revealing that the upcoming DualSense controller might include redesigned analogue sticks that will use hydraulics for input precision.

How the upcoming DualSense controller for PS5 might be different
The DualSense controller is an improvement from the DualShock series that arrived with the previous generation of consoles. As per the report, Sony might be planning to launch a DualSense controller for PS5 that might use non-Newtonian fluids to create hydraulic resistance in the analogue sticks. A non-Newtonian fluid changes viscosity when put under force and it is expected to add force feedback to the analogue sticks when they are being pushed down by gamers.
Importance of the redesigned analogue sticks
Like the haptic feedback of the DualSense’s triggers, the analogue stick will retract into the body of the controller when pushed down, however, there will be a certain amount of resistance. Most modern gamepads allow users to click down on the analogue sticks, but this patent claims that the sticks can also be used for analogue inputs which can be helpful for things like zooming the camera or gunsight.

However, gamers might face a problem regarding this with games that use the existing click (referred to as L3 or R3 for each stick) for other inputs. The report states that Sony will presumably find a way around it. Moreover, a costlier DualSense Pro has been rumoured for some time but whether Sony will use this patent idea or not remains unclear as all patent ideas don’t come to fruition in a physical product.