A plain white DualSense with a sticker slapped on the touchpad. That was one disappointed fan’s verdict on Sony’s latest limited-edition controller, and many others online were equally puzzled about why it is launching at this particular moment.
Called the Lisa Limited Edition DualSense wireless controller, the pad was made for a worldwide PlayStation 5 campaign fronted by Lisa, the Thai rapper, singer, dancer and actress who rose to fame in the South Korean girl group Blackpink. According to Sony, she had a hand in designing it personally.
What’s in the box
The controller comes in a Chroma Pearl finish. Its touchpad is decorated with decals of Lisa’s signature bangs and eyes, along with her trademark stars and “LL” lettering.
So if you have always dreamed of staring straight at a pop idol’s fringe each time you pull up the map, now’s your opportunity.
For Lisa, the collaboration carried personal meaning.
“Gaming is something I do whenever I have time to relax, so getting to create this collection with PlayStation was very exciting. I had a lot of fun adding in little details that I knew my fans would notice, and I wanted the fans to have something they can connect with. I’ve always loved expressing myself through music and fashion, so this collaboration gave me a new way to be creative and show a different side of myself. I hope everyone enjoys it as much as I do,” Lisa said.
Pricing and release dates
Pre-orders go live on October 2 at 10am local time and run while stock lasts. The controller then hits shelves on 30 October in limited numbers, sold directly by PlayStation and at participating retailers.
The price is set at $84.99 USD, ¥12,480 (including tax), €84.99 or £74.99.
Sony has a long track record of releasing special DualSense designs to accompany its biggest game launches. This time, however, there is no game attached at all — just a celebrity tie-up — and that is a big reason the announcement felt so odd.
The fan reaction
What makes it awkward is the timing. Sony is set to overhaul major parts of its business over the coming months, and once the partnership was revealed on Twitter/X, replies latched onto that almost straight away.
“Lisa chose the worst moment to partner with Sony. Poor girl. At least, the controller is physical,” one comment read, poking fun at Sony’s decision to release only digital games going forward.
Another fan continued the gag but went easier on the product itself. “I won’t knock her product. It’s pretty cool. I’m glad we can still get physical controllers and not digital ones.”
Some weren’t laughing, though.
“Once again, Sony failing at hearing their fans and delivering something nobody asked for. Plus, it’s a simple plain white controller with a sticker on the touchpad,” another user wrote.
Who Sony is targeting
Controllers still count for a lot. They need to feel comfortable and look the part, and with the DualSense, the haptic feedback has to genuinely deliver. Sony evidently still takes its hardware seriously, even as fans fixate on the larger shifts the company is keeping quiet about.
Still, this launch isn’t meant for players upset about the move to digital-only games. It’s built for Lisa’s fans who want those stars and “LL” letters beneath their thumbs — and they’ll have to move fast once pre-orders open on October 2.