Sony shows off Project Defiant, its first wireless fight stick for PS5 and PC

[Shawn Knight]

Something to look forward to: Sony Interactive Entertainment has introduced its first wireless fight stick. Codenamed Project Defiant, the arcade-style controller is designed to provide gamers more flexibility when playing their favorite fighting games. We don't have a ton of details to go on at this hour, but here is what we do know so far.

At the heart of the controller is a custom-designed digital stick featuring toolless interchangeable restrictor gates (circle, square, and octagon). You also get buttons with mechanical switches, a touchpad similar to the one found on the DualSense wireless controller, and an onboard storage compartment for spare restrictor gates and the PS Link USB adapter.

Sony says the chassis affords an ergonomic and comfortable feel, adding that the controller can wirelessly wake up your PS5 simply by pressing and holding the PS button.

Speaking of wireless, the controller leverages Sony's PS Link technology and is compatible with both the PS5 and PC. Optionally, you can plug the joystick directly into your system for wired play via USB-C to ensure there is no lag.

Stick-based gamepads have become increasingly popular in recent years. Both Capcom and Neo Geo announced plug-and-play sticks with pre-installed games in 2019, and 8BitDo followed in 2020 with its own moddable controller for the Nintendo Switch and PC. The form factor dates back to the days of arcades and specifically, fighting games. Their design directly influenced early home controllers like the NES Advantage.

Sony said it plans to share more details on Project Defiant in the coming months ahead of a 2026 launch. No word yet on pricing or a final product name, but we do know that it will come with a sling-style carrying case complete with a lever gap to keep the joystick safe during transport.

Sony notes that the stick's design and specifications are subject to change without notice so if you are interested, be sure to keep a close eye on the details as next year approaches. What would you pay for something of this caliber?

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Sony shows off Project Defiant, its first wireless fight stick for PS5 and PC

 

[Eldrach]

Edit: don’t read articles st 2 AM…I read Flight Stick..not Fight Stick..

 

[Alfonso Maruccia]

Seems... pathetic. A feeble piece of useless plastic. At least when compared to my Hori RAP Pro 4 Kai...

 

[ThomasTECH]

Let's give the new comer a chance! Let's see what can be done with the stick! Sometimes even one innovation in one aspect of the stick can be very valuable because it allows competition to clone it and use it on more finished products. Obviously a pretty fightstick and sleek to say the least. Competitive play is hard to enter though right of the bat. Also Sony if you would be so kind to allow your ps3 controllers to work natively on ps5 many would be very appreciative as PC already allows this and interface boards are expensive.

 

[hahahanoobs]

Well..that looks less like a flightstick and more like something you'd want to play Mortal Combat or Streetfighter with

Um...

 

[NumberNine]

Meanwhile Hori will continue producing hardware durable enough to drive nails for a fraction of the cost as they've done for decades.

 

[hahahanoobs]

Dont read articles at 2 AM…I read Flight stick..haha

Not gonna lie. I did too at first.

 

[johnwinter87]

Curious to see how it performs in tournaments. If Sony nails input latency and build quality, it could shake things up a bit.

 

[airbornex]

Edit: don’t read articles st 2 AM…I read Flight Stick..not Fight Stick..

Same here, I misread the title as “flight stick” and thought, wow, that’s the most terrible flight stick I’ve ever come across!