Molded palm trees, right there in the plastic. Sony leads with that detail, and it’s the thing that will move these controllers.
Two limited-edition PS5 controllers marking the launch of Grand Theft Auto VI have been unveiled by Sony and Rockstar Games. No leak, no early retailer listing — this came straight from Sony. Palm tree logo designs sit on the touchpad, with the neon shades the game has leaned on wrapped around the thumbsticks.
Two colorways are on offer: black and white. Sony went long in a statement about the thinking behind the design.
“At today’s State of Play, we shared a first look at two new limited edition DualSense wireless controllers inspired by Grand Theft Auto VI which capture that unmistakable Vice City energy. The black and white limited-edition DualSense wireless controllers each capture the essence of Vice City, from bright days along the coast to vibrant city nights.”
“Both editions feature a shimmering, color-shifting finish that brings together the hues of a Vice City sunset and the glow of neon lights. They both also feature custom palm tree details molded directly into the controller, adding a unique tactile element alongside official Grand Theft Auto VI branding.”
When you can actually put money down
Pre-orders go live September 10 at 7:00am PT/10:00am ET in the U.S., and at 10:00am local time across the U.K., France, Germany, Austria, Spain, Italy, Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg. Stock permitting — the caveat everybody scrolls past and then wishes they hadn’t.
Pricing lands at a recommended $84.99 USD/¥12,480 (including tax)/€84.99/£74.99, varying by region. Purchases can be made straight from the manufacturer website or via participating retailers, though Sony has yet to name which retailers are taking part in which country.
PlayStation had gone quiet, and Xbox hadn’t
The next hardware generation isn’t arriving imminently, so dressing up the console you already own is where the action is. Every major manufacturer has been happy to play along, and the designs keep coming.
Xbox has arguably set the pace. Its 25th anniversary lineup revived the see-through green plastic of the old days across a huge spread of products, with Gears of War hardware and other tie-ins still to come. PlayStation, by comparison, has been a step behind lately. This release changes that, and plenty of players are going to care.
Don’t panic about the PS6 yet
The reveal arrives weeks on from an official PlayStation 6 update. Savings account looking thin? There’s time. According to recent reports there is “no fixed date for the PlayStation 6 launch, meaning it’s unlikely to arrive any time soon” — again, a report, not something Sony has said.
The confirmed part: the next-gen PlayStation console is being developed. Factor in the price hikes of late and cheap seems improbable.
Eighty-five dollars buys a controller that shifts color the way a Vice City sunset does. And the palm trees aren’t just printed on. Your thumb will find them.