PlayStation Manufacturer Sony Interactive Entertainment has been granted a patent for a controller that doesn't have a single physical button, some recently published regulatory filings have revealed. Although the concept doesn't have many of the traditional inputs often associated with gamepads, it represents just 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 files vary widely in terms of design and functionality, most contain some form of physical buttons. Breaking from that pattern is a newly published USPTO patent dated January 27, 2026.
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Sony's latest controller concept has multiple screens, no buttons
Identified by grant number 12533573, the recently secured patent (shown for the first time by VGC) describes a gamepad that completely forgoes traditional physical inputs. In their place are touchscreens connected to a few additional sensors that can detect finger positions, as well as taps, long presses and swipes. These input readings are used to dynamically light up and adjust virtual controls on the device's display, allowing the interface to change based on how the user holds and interacts with the unconventional PlayStation controller depicted in the images attached to the patent.
A drawing from Sony's new controller patent
Here's what Sony says about the purpose of this unusual invention
The original patent application, filed in February 2023, describes the screen-and-sensor approach to reading player inputs as offering more flexibility than physical stick-and-button layouts, allowing gaming accessory makers to accommodate different hand sizes, play styles, or accessibility needs. For now, Sony continues to address various accessibility needs with dedicated hardware such as the PlayStation 5 Access Controller, which launched in December 2023.
The new PlayStation controller patent doesn't actually require a complete lack of buttons
While some implementations described in the new Sony patent refer to the use of touchscreens and illuminated display elements to present virtual controls, the core claims do not mandate the presence of multiple screens or a dedicated display. Instead, the patent broadly covers adaptive input surfaces that interpret input without physical buttons, with visual output only introduced as an optional feature. In other words, the technology described in the patent could in principle be applied to a more traditional controller that also provides some form of physical input.
Assuming Sony's patent 12533573 is likely to be used in actual production
According to a recent study by Parola Analytics, the USPTO has granted 2,256 patents to the Sony Group through 2025. That makes the tech giant the 14th most prolific patent filer of the year, ranking just below Dell and ahead of Intel. For further reference, a snapshot of the USPTO database reviewed by GameRant shows that Sony Group and several of its subsidiaries hold 133,506 US patents as of January 31, 2026. A large proportion of these protected inventions have never been commercialized. Given that context, the statistical probability of this particular controller making it into commercial production seems relatively low.
All that said, accessibility has become an increasingly important focus for gamepad manufacturers. This includes more efforts to accommodate players with physical disabilities, as well as those who rely on unconventional setups for comfort or practical reasons. For example, another recent Sony patent suggested that future PlayStation controllers could detect when users are playing in a reclining or sleeping position and automatically adjust their functionality to match. Given those circumstances, an access-focused filing like patent 12533573 may stand a greater chance of eventually translating into a commercial product than the average Sony patent that appears in the USPTO database.
Source: VGC
