Sony Could Turn PS5 DualSense and PS6 Controllers Into Payment Devices, Unusual Patent Reveals

PlayStation is looking for new ways to make its gaming ecosystem more appealing, and an unusual patent has just revealed one of its strangest ideas for the future. It involves a system that would turn the DualSense controllers for PS5 and future PS6 controllers into payment devices.

The project sounds quite strange and could easily lead to misunderstandings, so it is important to clarify that PlayStation does not want to start charging us for using our controllers. Instead, it wants to turn them into devices where we can make payments very easily, without the need to have a payment method saved on our consoles.

PlayStation Controllers Could Allow Us to Make Direct Payments in the Future

PlayStation and other companies want to eliminate as many barriers as possible from their ecosystems, particularly those related to purchasing digital content and making payments. Apparently, Sony already has a project to make purchasing content from the PlayStation Store easier than ever.

A patent, revealed on September 17, shows a project to turn any PlayStation controller into a sort of terminal. Instead of registering a payment method on our consoles or accessing our banking apps, all we would have to do is bring our phone close to a PlayStation controller to make a payment.

The patent includes several diagrams explaining the technology behind this idea. PS5 DualSense controllers or PS6 controllers would be able to detect a mobile device through proximity. The controller would then send it a notification containing information about the payment to be made. Likewise, the controller would act as a bridge with the console, which would register the purchase without any additional steps.

The controller would not continuously transmit payment information, but only when requested by the console. The patent seeks to simplify the purchasing process and prevent players from leaving transactions incomplete, either because of the hassle involved in completing them or simply because of reluctance to do so.

This system would eliminate processes that can interrupt a purchase, such as having to verify card numbers, access two-factor authentication, and more. At the same time, it would benefit PlayStation by allowing purchases and payments to be made entirely within its ecosystem in a smoother way.

“A first message is received from the electronic device that includes information about the payment method of a video game player associated with the video game controller, and a second message that includes said information about the payment method is transmitted from the controller to the console,” the patent explains. For now, there are no clues about whether this system will make its way to PlayStation controllers.

Another Patent Revealed the First Clues About the PS6 Controller

Patents have always offered a glimpse into the future that major companies are preparing. While they do not always become reality, it is interesting to learn about the ideas that PlayStation, XBOX, and Nintendo have for innovation. In early 2026, Sony registered an unusual controller without traditional buttons.

The document showed a controller without physical sticks, buttons, or triggers, as it would operate using capacitive touch surfaces. It is speculated that this technology could be applied to PS6 controllers, the next-generation console that still has no release date.

The controller would use a virtual button layout that would dynamically adapt to the position of players’ hands. It would be possible to modify the size and position of the buttons, which would turn the controller into one of the most ergonomic on the market. However, this has yet to be confirmed, and the idea could remain nothing more than a concept on paper.