The PlayStation 5 may not be on sale until November 12, but some stores have already let some DualSense controllers slip onto shelves four weeks early.
Over the weekend, users on Reddit and Twitter reported sightings of the new controllers at warehouses and on shelves, ahead of their release on October 30. One even trickled onto the Facebook Marketplace in Missouri, listed for $100 USD.
Retailers notified preorder holders in the US last week that many accessories, like the DualSense and the Pulse 3D Headset, would be available ahead of the console’s launch. Many PS5 peripherals will be available on October 30. Meanwhile UK retailer GAME is releasing the same accessories on November 12, a week before the UK launch.
EB Games currently lists the DualSense for sale on October 30 in Canada as well, restricted to one unit per order.
The DualSense controller promises to add a new sensory level to gameplay with its haptic feedback features. ASOBI Team, a division of Sony Interactive Entertainment Japan Studio, developed about 80 miniature tech demos to simulate different scenarios and sensations. Their work provided two years of feedback to the hardware team and went on to become Astro’s Playroom, a preinstalled launch title for the PS5 which showcases the controller’s potential applications.
Without the PS5 itself, the controllers are not much use to consumers, as the PS4 is not compatible with the next-gen pad and its USB-C connection. However, that may not stop excited fans from getting prepared ahead of time — or opportunists from making a quick profit.
