The First Ever Third-Party PlayStation 5 Controller Has Arrived

With the arrival of new-gen consoles comes the inevitable arrival of third-party peripherals.

As I'm sure you know, sometimes those that buy new gaming hardware would prefer specific, unique improvements. Not everyone wants a hulking great big white console under their TV, for example. Some would prefer their console in black. Or grey.

In the case of controllers, sometimes players want additional features Sony won’t add themselves - which is where third-party controller company Scuf comes in. 

As reported by IGN, there are finally third-party controllers coming to the PS5, and they look pretty great. When I think of a third party controller, I tend to remember the janky and easily broken PS2 controllers my brother gave me to play games with. But we’ve come a long way since then, and Scuf’s interpretation of the DualSense is pretty advanced.

This is the Reflex controller. Scuf will be selling them in several different colours, and there are three Reflex options to choose from: Reflex, Reflex Pro, and Reflex FPS. Though almost identical to the original DualSense in form, there are Xbox Elite Series style back paddles on the underside of the controller which can be programmed to your preference. 

Scuf

The analog sticks can be swapped out for long, short, domed, and concave sticks, depending on your preference, and the front of the controller is also swappable for different colour combinations. 

The Scuf Reflex FPS also changes the adaptive triggers from the original DualSense, making it easier to shoot down your targets. A pretty good alternative for those who compete on consoles in FPS games particularly. The Scuf Reflex costs $199, the Scuf Reflex Pro costs, $229, and the FPS version costs $259. 

The Reflexes are just the beginning though. Surely more and more alternatives to Sony’s controllers will come up on the market in the near future - there are already customised options out there too. Let’s hope that Sony doesn’t chase these products down like it did the faceplates, eh?

Topics: PlayStation 5, PlayStation