Sony's DualShock 4 will work with Windows PCs out of the box

Shawn Knight

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dualshock windows sony microsoft dualshock 4

Sony’s PlayStation 4 is scheduled to drop on November 15 in North America and when it does, PC gamers will be able to use the DualShock 4 controller for Windows-based games. The revelation comes courtesy of Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios President Shuhei Yoshida via Twitter.

Yoshida specifically said basic functions like the analog sticks and buttons will work just fine on the PC. He didn’t mention whether or not more advanced functions like the touch pad, motion sensors and lightbar would be supported but odds are, they won’t – at least not though official Sony drivers. As we saw with the DualShock 3 controller, someone will probably produce unlicensed drivers at some point.

It also remains to be seen whether or not the PC will recognize the DualShock 4 as just that or a generic controller. When pressed on this topic, Yoshida said we would have to wait until for a post-launch field report.

As Joystiq points out, many non-Microsoft controllers use the Xinput API which allows the PC to detect them as an Xbox controller. Sony’s current DualShock 3 controller doesn’t use Xinput, however, so it would be a change if the DualShock 4 does.

Being able to use the DualShock 4 with the PC will certainly have its advantages depending on the type of game you are playing. I typically prefer to use a gamepad when playing a driving simulator but for most other PC games, the keyboard and mouse combo give me the most accuracy and control.

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This is great news as a lot of PC gamers will consider PS4 over XB1 to begin with. For someone with an old controller, this is a cool perk.
 
So if Windows detects it as a gamepad, but the game is developed to support 360 controller, would the new PS4 controller work the same if it can be used via XInput?
 
This must be sold separately then. I'd like to try this one out.
No, they're not selling the controller separately. So everytime you break one, you have to spend $400 on a whole new system....

wow..
I think they will still sell controllers like they did with the PS3. Why would they stop doing that? That is a huge business for them since many people like using consoles to play with friends, hence being forced to pay $60.
 
JC missed the sarcasm in Reign's post it appears. Obviously controllers will be sold individually, that's where Sony makes profit on new console launches. Think, parents buying a PS4 for their kids will more than likely buy a 2nd controller, right there almost balancing out the $60 loss on said console.

I'm just happy the controller will be supported natively out of the box, albeit to a minimum but its a start. It better not use Microsoft proprietary xinput BS, which is limited to 4 devices and was created for the 360, hence the new Xbox1 isn't even using it. Which may I add, Xbox 1 controllers won't be supported out of the box on Windows, way to go Microsoft, thumbs up!...
 
I think they will still sell controllers like they did with the PS3. Why would they stop doing that? That is a huge business for them since many people like using consoles to play with friends, hence being forced to pay $60.

Hahaha, JC713 you might need to get your sarcasm detector tuned up a little :p Of course they'll sell the controllers separately. Although I'd expect them to be sold at a nice premium over the Duelshock 3 controllers.
 
Hahaha, JC713 you might need to get your sarcasm detector tuned up a little :p Of course they'll sell the controllers separately. Although I'd expect them to be sold at a nice premium over the Duelshock 3 controllers.

Fail on my part!!!! LOL.
 
Xbox 1 controllers won't be supported out of the box on Windows, way to go Microsoft, thumbs up!...

It's simply no initial driver support that all give em chance to release it next year.

"We know people want to use the Xbox One controller on their PC, and we do too - we expect to have the functionality available in 2014," said a Microsoft spokesperson in a statement to CVG, since verified by Eurogamer."
 
It's simply no initial driver support that all give em chance to release it next year.

"We know people want to use the Xbox One controller on their PC, and we do too - we expect to have the functionality available in 2014," said a Microsoft spokesperson in a statement to CVG, since verified by Eurogamer."

See you say it's simply lack of driver support, however you would think Microsoft being Microsoft they could afford to have someone in house on the Windows dev team work out a driver in the last 3+ years of the Xbox1's development. But hey, I don't understand how one of the biggest corporations in the world works, guess I just don't know what I'm talking about...
 
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