Sony Won’t Make a PS4 Elite Controller to Maintain a “Unified Audience”

The standard PS4 controller is a vast improvement on its predecessor and feels much more substantial. Additionally, the ergonomic layout, innovative touchpad and angled shoulder buttons make it a fine choice to play games for long periods. Some time ago, Microsoft unleashed a premium version of the Xbox One controller which has modular elements and oozes quality. Of course, this luxury build comes at a hefty price and is designed to compete with Scuf and other custom designs. Even though the price can be a bit difficult to accept, it’s well worth it given the quality on offer. Unfortunately, it seems Sony isn’t considering a similar strategy and believes the standard Dual Shock 4 is ample. In an interview with The Verge, Sony’s system architect Mark Cerny clarified:

“We want to keep PlayStation 4 as a single unified audience. We need to be quite careful to the enhancements we add to the controller. But it’s not the sort of thing that’s going to create have’s and have nots.”

This is an interesting comment to make because Sony has unveiled a premium product in the form of the PS4 Pro. Given this console’s 4K focus and higher specification, you wouldn’t expect the company to have any issues in providing a more expensive controller. I understand Mark Cerny’s point if Sony retained a single console and didn’t launch the PS4 Pro. Saying that, Sony keeps reminding users that they’re part of the same ecosystem. Despite this, I don’t think the decision makes a lot of sense because there’s certainly a market for it.