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Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →The original PlayStation 4 controller, the DualShock 4, changed more than the look of its analog sticks and D-pad: Sony adjusted their shape, height, resistance and click behavior to address competing needs in shooters, racing games and fighting games. The key qualification is that GamesBeat’s October 22, 2013 feature documents Sony’s design rationale and developer feedback, not a controlled performance test. It appeared before the PS4’s November 15, 2013 North American launch and was later updated on June 18, 2025; its subject remains the launch-era controller.
This retrospective focuses on the sticks and D-pad, the subject of part two of GamesBeat’s four-part DualShock 4 design series. Sony product-planning manager Toshimasa Aoki and Guerrilla Games developers Steven ter Heide and Tommy de Roos discussed the design decisions behind the changes.
What changed from the DualShock 3?
Sony reworked the DualShock 4’s stick tops, profile, resistance, dead zone and L3/R3 clicks, while giving the D-pad a deeper center and more distinct directional feel. The changes aimed to make inputs easier to control and the controller more comfortable across different play styles—not to optimize it for one genre alone.
| Component | DualShock 3 baseline described in the 2013 feature | DualShock 4 change | Intended result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stick tops | Domed, convex tops | Recessed center with a flatter, angled outer ridge | Help the thumb stay in place while accommodating different ways of pushing the stick |
| Stick height and movement | Taller sticks with more extreme side-to-side movement | Lower sticks with somewhat less total movement | Make thumb movement and access to the touchpad easier, especially for smaller hands |
| Stiffness | Described as lighter than the DualShock 2 | Resistance between the DualShock 2 and DualShock 3 | Balance shooter aiming with repeated steering and other movement |
| Dead zone | Described as larger | Reduced, with no numerical value supplied | Make more of the stick’s movement usable |
| L3/R3 clicks | Could be difficult to activate when the stick was tilted | Easier to press at an angle | Make stick-click actions more accessible during movement |
| D-pad | Less pronounced directional definition | Deeper center and more distinct, raised directional sections | Give clearer tactile feedback and support directional inputs |
These are reported design differences and goals, not standardized measurements. GamesBeat supplies no stick-height, travel, force, dead-zone or input-accuracy figures.
#1 Best Overall
- The feel, shape, and sensitivity of the dual analog sticks and trigger buttons have been improved to provide a greater sense of control, no matter what you play.Motion sensors - Rock and roll as a highly sensitive built-in accelerometer and gyroscope detect the motion, tilt and rotation of your DUALSHOCK 4 wireless controllerDualShock 4 Wireless Controller PS4 and PC compatible. Item PS5 compatible only when playing PS4 games.
- The new multi touch and clickable touch pad on the face of the DualShock 4 Wireless Controller opens up worlds of new gameplay possibilities for both newcomers and veteran gamers
- The DualShock 4 Wireless Controller features a built in speaker and stereo headset jack, putting several new audio options in the player's hands
- The Dualshock 4 wireless controller can be easily recharged by plugging it into your PlayStation 4 system, even when in rest mode, or with any standard charger using a USB cable (type A to micro B sold separately)
Why Sony changed the analog sticks
Some shooter players criticized the DualShock 3 as loose-feeling and light, and its shoulder buttons as less like conventional triggers. GamesBeat presented those as reported player sentiment, not a universal verdict, and described its own hands-on observation as nonscientific. The concern mattered particularly in first-person shooters, where thumbs stay on the sticks to move and aim: friction, resistance, travel and the point at which input registers can all affect how control feels.
A hybrid top for different thumb styles
The DualShock 3’s convex tops could make it easier for a thumb to slip. Sony tried fully convex, fully concave and ridged forms before settling on a hybrid: a recessed center for thumb placement, edged by a flatter, angled ridge. Aoki said Sony rejected a sharply edged concavity after testing suggested the rim could be uncomfortable for people who push from the side of the stick rather than pressing near its center. The final geometry was intended to give both approaches a usable surface rather than assume one thumb technique.
Lower sticks and less movement
Sony lowered the sticks to shorten thumb movement and make the move between a stick and the new touchpad easier, a potential benefit for players with smaller hands. The shorter profile also meant somewhat less movement from one extreme to the other. Aoki said Sony considered the resulting control range comparable to what DualShock 3 players knew and greater than the Xbox 360 controller’s range. That is a manufacturer-side comparison reported in the article, not an independently measured specification.
The feature says Sony’s user tests included roughly two-hour play sessions, in which some participants reported fatigue from large, repeated thumb movements. The shorter sticks were presented as an ergonomic response intended to reduce thumb and joint strain without sacrificing the control players expected. The article gives no test sample size or measurements of fatigue, so it cannot establish how broadly players would experience that benefit.
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Rank #2
- Precision Control: The feel, shape, and sensitivity of the DualShock 4’s analog sticks and trigger buttons have been enhanced to offer players absolute control for all games on PlayStation 4.
- Sharing at your Fingertips: The addition of the Share button makes sharing your greatest gaming moments as easy as a push of a button. Upload gameplay videos and screenshots directly from your system or live-stream your gameplay, all without disturbing the game in progress.
- New ways to Play: Revolutionary features like the touch pad, integrated light bar, and built-in speaker offer exciting new ways to experience and interact with your games and its 3.5mm audio jack offers a practical personal audio solution for gamers who want to listen to their games in private.
- Charge Efficiently: The DualShock 4 Wireless Controller can easily be recharged by plugging it into your PlayStation 4 system, even when on standby, or with any standard charger with a micro-USB port.
Resistance as a compromise between genres
The DualShock 2 was described as relatively stiff. The DualShock 3 became lighter after feedback from the Gran Turismo team, which preferred less resistance for repeated steering. Shooter developers wanted more resistance, particularly from the right stick, to support precise aiming. Sony reportedly tested different stiffness and height combinations with first- and third-party developers and their user-testing groups, then chose a feel between the earlier controllers.
GamesBeat reports feedback from Guerrilla Games, Santa Monica Studio and Naughty Dog. Sony said it intended to give studios equal weight, while the article noted that prominent teams could still have had disproportionate influence. The resulting resistance should be understood as a cross-genre compromise, not proof that every player or game type would prefer it.
A smaller dead zone
A dead zone is the small region around a stick’s neutral position where movement is ignored. It helps prevent minor physical variation or signal noise from registering as unintended movement. Because the lower sticks had somewhat less extreme-to-extreme movement, Sony reduced the dead zone so more of the available movement could register. In principle, that can make a stick feel more responsive; if made too small, a dead zone can also make control twitchier.
The feature provides no percentage, angle, sensor resolution or standardized comparison for the DualShock 4’s dead zone. It records Sony’s design rationale, not a quantified sensitivity result.
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Rank #3
- The feel, shape, and sensitivity of the dual analog sticks and trigger buttons have been improved to provide a greater sense of control, no matter what you play
Easier L3 and R3 presses at an angle
Clicking a stick activates L3 or R3. On the DualShock 3, GamesBeat reports, pressing the stick while it was tilted could be difficult. Sony made the clicks easier to trigger away from center, which could help in games that combine movement or aiming with sprint, melee or crouch commands. Aoki also acknowledged the opposite risk: a click that is too easy to trigger may register accidentally. The design therefore had to balance access against unintended presses.
What changed on the D-pad?
The DualShock 4 retained the PlayStation four-direction layout but made its directional sections more pronounced and tactile. The surrounding surface was flatter and shinier than the older grooved area; the center had a deeper depression, and the directional sections were wider and rose toward their outer edges. Sony aimed to make each direction feel more distinct, with a clearer click, while supporting players who press near the center as well as those who push around the sides.
That work was relevant beyond menus. In fighting games such as Street Fighter IV, players use diagonals, quarter-circles and rapid directional changes, so the feel of transitions between directions can matter. GamesBeat reports that Sony tested the D-pad with fighting games. Its reporter liked the initial feel but had not played several matches of Street Fighter IV with it. That impression is subjective: the feature does not demonstrate more accurate inputs, better diagonal registration or competitive superiority over the DualShock 3.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How the trade-offs differ by game
- First-person shooters: The more resistant sticks, reduced dead zone and easier angled stick clicks were aimed at control and access during movement and aiming. The article does not measure aiming accuracy or missed inputs.
- Racing games: Lighter resistance had suited the repeated steering preferred by the Gran Turismo team. The DualShock 4’s middle-ground stiffness may not match every racing player’s preference.
- Fighting games: The deeper D-pad center and more distinct directional feedback were intended to help with directional control. They do not, by themselves, prove improved execution or tournament performance.
- Action and other controller-intensive games: Shorter thumb movement and easier L3/R3 presses could help when players combine movement with other commands, with accidental clicks remaining a possible downside.
These are implications of the reported design goals, not genre-by-genre performance results.
Rank #4
- Wireless Connectivity: The DualShock 4 controller uses Bluetooth technology for wireless gameplay.
- PlayStation Compatibility: This controller is specifically designed for use with the PlayStation 4 console.
- Vibration Feedback: The controller's built-in rumble feature provides tactile feedback during gameplay.
- Adjustable Controls: The controller has customizable button layouts and analog sticks to suit your preferences.
- Long Battery Life: The controller is battery-powered and can provide up to 10 hours of gameplay on a single charge.
What the 2013 feature establishes—and what it does not
The feature is most useful as a record of how Sony approached the original DualShock 4: it describes prototypes, competing developer preferences, reported user feedback and the intended reasons for specific changes. Its evidence is less conclusive about whether those changes objectively improved play.
- Reported design decisions: the hybrid stick-top geometry, lower stick height, intermediate stiffness, reduced dead zone, easier angled clicks and revised D-pad profile.
- Attributed claims: Aoki’s comparison of usable stick range with the DualShock 3 and Xbox 360 controller, and Sony’s rationale for how the changes should feel.
- Subjective impression: the reporter’s early positive reaction to the D-pad, before extended fighting-game play.
- Not established: exact travel, force, dead-zone size, latency, sensor resolution, statistical user-test results, or comparative input accuracy.
The coverage concerns the original PS4-era DualShock 4 design process. It should not be read as a buying recommendation or as a claim that every later hardware revision or replacement part has identical construction.
Sources and series context
The main account is GamesBeat’s original feature and its second page. A contemporary comparison appeared at Kotaku. GamesBeat’s related series pieces cover part one, part three and part four.
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