PlayStation maker Sony Interactive Entertainment has been granted a patent for a controller that doesn't have a single physical button, as revealed by some newly published regulatory filings. While the concept lacks many of the traditional inputs typically associated with gamepads, it represents only one possible implementation, as the patent focuses primarily on input technology rather than hinting at future PlayStation controller designs.
At least a handful of new controller-related Sony patents are granted and published each year. While these filings vary widely in terms of design and functionality, most incorporate some form of physical buttons. Breaking from that pattern is a newly published USPTO patent dated January 27, 2026.
The latest PlayStation 5 console exclusive is here, having released to immense critical acclaim that overshadows every other 2026 game so far.
Identified by grant number 12533573, the newly secured patent (first spotted by VGC) describes a gamepad that forgoes traditional physical inputs altogether. In their place are touchscreens paired with some additional sensors that can detect finger position, as well as taps, long presses, and swipes. These input readings are used to dynamically illuminate and adjust virtual controls on the device’s displays, allowing the interface to shift based...
