DualSense wins BAFTA's best controller tournament as voted by the fans!

Wow, Congrats to Sony for this prestigious recognition. The DualSense is indeed an amazing controller. Wouldn't you agree, SW? Is it the best of all time?

Haven’t tried one yet myself. So far though the Xbox Series controller has been my favourite though.

Dual Sense is good (DS4 as well), but I still prefer the ergonomics and feel of the Xbox controllers. So, that is why I only use Dual Sense with PS5 and not with PC. The added features of Dual Sense are not very important and do not sway my controller preference.

I love the Xbox One controller as a main PC controller. But with those games that support it (Hitman, Ghostwire, AC Valhalla) I've been using my Dualsense. The enhanced rumble and trigger effects are just great.

That lost credibility when the Xbox elite controller lost to an old dualshock.

I've become a fan of the PS4 controller. I got one for PSNow on the PC and started using it on steam. Actually picked up a Dualsense, but realised that PC support is limited with PS controllers so returned it.

I have a PSOne, PSTwo and PS4 controllers. And the Dualshock 1, 2 and 3 are REALLY not that good.

Where is the DS4 controller? It's far superior to the DS 1, 2 and 3 controllers by a mile. Night and day. The shape of it is so well done, that it actually doesn't matter whether your used to the left analogue stick being in a different location.

If an Xbox controller lost to the PS4 controller, I'd have that discussion. And outside of my preference with Xbox triggers because of depth they have, it wouldn't be an easy discussion.

And how did the GC controller get that far. It's not bad but it's flawed. Tiny d-pad, peculiar 8 direction analogue sticks, cheap feeling analogue triggers, fisher price button layout which gives the middle finger to beat em up games...

Six button Sega Genesis controller deserves a shout out. It has one of the best layouts for fighting games and 2D games in general. I'm not convinced the SNES controllers better, and I had a SNES growing up. But I have a couple of six button controllers for Xbox consoles, such as the SF4 controller and the Hori Fighting Commander and they are so good and flexible with 2D games and I never use the shoulder buttons on them.

I picked up a Dualsense controller for the PC, but I realised that it's not even recognised with Gamepass games, I kinda realised it probably has limited use in general across the PC. So that shows that PS controller support is built into Steam directly so there really isn't any driver support from Sony on the PC.

Steam support for the DS4 is really good. You can even dim the Move light on the back of the controller.

I just think it's a shame Sony aren't more proactive in certain areas. There's no reason Sony shouldn't do more with controller support on the PC and PSNow on the PC. They should also be more proactive with PSNow in general with its content. They don't add much to it through out the year.

I think both MS and Sony are making a mistake not pushing Xcloud and PSnow on macOS given the lack of gaming support on macs.

have you tried DS4 Windows app? Give it a download for better support on Windows.

https://ds4-windows.com/

Further proof it's the best controller of all time. I've been playing CP2077 on PS5 and the Dual Sense support really is a game changer for that game. Driving and shooting feels amazing.

Now i would like to know how many of those who owned one, has had an analog related issue within six months of use. Even tho i like the shape and comfort, the build quality is GARBAGE.

Driving... sure. Shooting... nope. Gotta play that with mouse and keyboard on PC. :)

I still have my launch Dual Sense and no issues.

Because you mainly play on pc AND own a series controller as well. If all your time was on the dualsense, you'd have a different story.

@hardwenzen: Well, I do play NHL regularly with it on PS5 and that game is brutal on the analog sticks.

its not the best controller ever made but it is the best controller sony has made

How many hours is this "regularly"? NHL doesn't require you to aim either, so if you do begin getting the slight stutter when barely pressing the stick, you won't even notice it with a game like that.

I definitely don't play FPS games on console, but NHL does require precision analog controls for dangling. I have not noticed anything wrong with the controller, but It would not surprise me if issues are common. All this console shit is made so cheaply to cut costs and is prone to breaking.

Well, i hope it happens soon. I want you to experience the next generation😎

The DualSense is easily my favorite Sony controller but I still prefer my Elite Series 2 for everything else. I've never liked the left analog stick placement on Sony's controllers and I absolutely hated the DualShock before the DS4 came along but the DualSense is an impressive controller design, to be sure. The haptics are really nice.

Dual sense is the best overall controller just for the features it has, something not easy for me to admit. Ergonomics is slightly behind the xbox controller and the functionality is a bit over built in some games and can get in the way but in general it's still the best. Great job sony 👏.

🤢 🤮

@blaznwiipspman1: who would’ve thought we’d be talking about controller innovation this gen lol

Players know what is the best.

Not sure if I can take it seriously with the GameCube controller making it to the semi-finals with its short ass cord.

@lamprey263: Let's just pretend they meant the Wavebird.

G.O.A.T

Having no idea what their criteria is, or why they'd even split them into brackets, that pic is a head scratcher.

No issue with Dualsense taking it, pretty much any of the modern standard controllers are interchangeable to me.

But the Atari stick is straight up bad lol. The NES, SNES, and Genesis pads all get easily dusted by the Saturn pad as far as classic 2d pads go. DS2 over Elite 2? No 360 pad? Plz.

Leads me to think maybe innovation is part of the criteria, but then you're still missing some key players if that were the case.

Just looks like a bunch of nonsense tbh.

Also lacked a lot of functionality for its generation. Short a shoulder button. No select button. No L3 or R3. And maybe a bit more nit picky, but in a time when the DS2 was putting pressure sensitive face buttons to use, it was lacking that as well.

I already knew the dual sense was the greatest controller of all time I didn’t need this tournament

It's a great controller, but Xbox Series controller for me.

These days it's hard for me to say that anything without back paddles is the best controller of all time. I have spent a LOT of time using the PS5 Dualsense controller and I easily prefer the PS4's controller. Sure the tension and rumble is better, but while playing multiplayer like I do most of the time a lot of that just gets in the way.. couple that with the fact that the PS5 controllers are obviously prone to stick drift (I'm on my 3rd or 4th controller already) and it's a problem.

They did just recently start making new PS5 controllers with heavier springs and better pieces in the analog sticks, so obviously SONY knew it was an issue.

Also let me mention the fact until one or two controller updates ago I absolutely HATED playing with one on online games. It feels much better now, but the button response time delay was BRUTAL and something felt off about the angles and transition speed while aiming. I'm not sure when they fixed those things, but like I said before it feels WAY better now then it did just a few months back.

As far as best controller of all time as of right now? I'd probably have to go with a Scuf controller. I do love my elite controller but I have never been a big fan of offset sticks. Rumor has it that SONY is working on an "elite" (or pro) controller of their own with back paddles as well, so I guess time will tell.

Either way Scuf doesn't have PS5 scuf controllers in stock so I can't say that is my favorite controller either. Also, I'm no sure I can even say that Scuf counts since it isn't an official controller of any console (although it's recognized and ok for esports, tournaments, and all around play). All said, I'm going to have to say that as of RIGHT NOW the perfect controller or even the "best controller of all time" doesn't even exist for me.

If and when the PS5 pro controller drops that all may change however.

Dang, Xbox just can’t seem to get a break. First halo inf a game that made a 9 here is losing players left and right. Now Xbox controller lost to a very old gen PlayStation controller, now that is just sad

The DS2 controller is great.

The d-pad for the 360 controller was trash.

Most of those votes came from nostalgia wearing millennials. The GC controller was garbage for everything but play smash. And you gotta be stonned to put a shitty DS3 anywhere near dualsense or the series controller. These controller were bad for everything but fighting games.

To be fair, both the Xbox Controller S and DS2 had analogue buttons, but they were dropped after the 6th gen. The analogue buttons were no where near as good as analogue triggers.

Using analogue buttons for Ace Combat just felt shit in comparison to me. Analogue triggers for racing and flying games was always so much better to me. Because of their depth, I felt more in control of pressure.

Everyone pretty much abandoned analogue buttons after that gen right?

Not even a DS3, it has a cable coming out of the top, it must be a DS2. It just gets worse.

I've used them all, and it's no contest. Even though I like the Dualsense controller and use it regularly on my PC for PS titles, the Xbox Series 2 is overall more ergonomic and comfortable, especially when playing Xbox titles competively thanks to the back paddles.

@WitIsWisdom: you could turn those vibrations off... heck who uses rumble in mp its always gonna be distracting on any controller.

Damn, never knew S type added those. Remember trying to play MGS2 on the duke and it was a nightmare lol.

But yeah gen 6 was the last run of those. Kinda sucks, but tbh MGS2 and especially MGS3 are the only games I remember putting them to great use.

Not a huge deal either way, was just that on top of the Gamecube controller straight up missing four buttons, was also missing analogue buttons. I don't think the Gamecube controller was bad or anything and Nintendo designed their games around it well. Just came up short against other controllers of the time, never understood the overwhelming love for that pad.

@SolidGame_basic said:

Wow, Congrats to Sony for this prestigious recognition. The DualSense is indeed an amazing controller. Wouldn't you agree, SW? Is it the best of all time?

It's the best PlayStation controller of all time, yes.

Even with the terrible dpad the 360 controller deserves to be up there.

Easily in the top 5 controllers ever made, you have to put it there even if it doesn't win.

Why is the GC controller even up there when it was pretty much universally hated? Same with N64 and Kinect

If Sony sold a PS5 controller with swapped dpad/left analog, like an Xbox controller, that would be ideal. In my humble opinion.

But extra features (triggers/haptics) in the PS5 controller make it the best all the same.

The 360 controller with the transforming Dpad was NICE.

Surprised to see the older DualShock was in the trenches instead of the DS4.

That stated, agreed it's definitely the best controller I've ever used. Super comfortable.

I agree, as controversial as this is to say, I don't think it's any better than the N64 controller. I had both consoles and a ton of games for both, I don't get saying N64 pad was bad but the GC controller was good, when it was no where near as good as the DS2 or "S type".

I love that you said "S type" btw, reminds me of the Jaguar car. Sounds kinda cool. Xbox Series: S Type, Xbox S type... Idk, but I like it. I'll use that now. :-P

How did MGS 2 and 3 use the analogue buttons? Does this mean that the games are not quite the same when playing versions ported to seventh gen onward consoles?

I'm using that pad now. I mean it was nice to transform the d-pad, but it wasn't a huge improvement.

Yeah, the vibrations don't really bother me even in multiplayer... I guess I'm just used to it. (been playing with rumble on in multiplayer for like 20 years.. or however long ago Goldeneye 007 ((looks like it was actually 25 years ago, damn I'm getting old.. lol. I was thinking that perhaps I overestimated.. sigh)). Hell Goldeneye is the reason why I STILL play inverted to this day.

The thing that is the most distracting in multiplayer to me is trigger tension which I do turn off in (mostly because you can't shoot semi auto weapons as fast). I've toyed with every imaginable option available a million times, but I always wind up turning vibration back on and find myself playing at max sensitivity with the least aim assist as possible, sometimes even just turning it off completely. I guess you could say I'm a little strange when it comes to my controller setting preferences.. Just a little. :P

I don't follow the "meta" when it comes to personal preference. Most people I know turn those settings off and keep sensitivity and things like that pretty close to base values. I have tried many times to turn my sensitivity down to 3-10 area (in most games, but we'll just use CoD as a base here), but always find myself cranking it back to 20/20 in about 5 minutes or less.

MGS3 made the heaviest use of it.

Tap circle repeatedly, punch punch kick combo. Hold circle, it's a headlock. From a headlock, tap circle to quickly choke out or eventually neck snap, or hold it to slowly (quietly) choke out. Or mash circle all the way and throat slit. Holding circle + left analog in any direction gets a body slam.

Lightly hold square to draw weapon, press all the way to fire.

Tap X to crouch, hold X to prone. While running it's the difference between going to prone or jumping into a roll.

Probably forgetting some stuff, been ages.

Forgot how it's handled in the ports, think they just used multi-button "modifiers". Finger gymnastics either way, but always thought it was a cool scheme once you get used to it.

I mean, was it? It's almost taboo to straight up say it wasn't a good controller. Whenever I've tried to say it wasn't good in the past, people don't take it well, so I have to be diplomatic and mention it's problems.

The love the GC controller gets is truly baffling to me. The nicest thing I can say about the pad was that it's functional. I don't even like the size, it's a bit too small imo.

But it is JUST functional. It's not "good". It doesn't excel. There are so many controllers I'd put above. I don't even like the DS 1, 2 and 3 controllers, but I'd take them over the GC controller. Other pads, I could imagine connecting it to me PC and enjoying it. I couldn't even think of a reason to connect the GC pad to anything I don't have to. I don't even hate it, it simply does it's job with GC games.

I couldn't imagine playing an fps, Ace Combat or a racing sim/simcade game with it though.

To be honest I don't understand it even. What is the benefit of the tiny d-pad and the peculiar face buttons? Why to I need a giant A button? I think the Z button could have been put to better use if it was somewhere else.

The Xbox S type controller deserves a lot more love than it got. It's still good. I have an Xbox, 360 and Series S set up and I use a pad designed for the Xbox One for the PC and the original S type is still really fun to play with.

@HalcyonScarlet: I guess it was in my experience.