Is The PS5 DualSense Controller Secretly A High-Tier Peripheral For Combating Video games?

The PS5 DualSense controller, which the combating recreation neighborhood (FGC) has a love-hate relationship with (regardless of being one of the best gaming controllers), was the preferred controller at this yr’s Evolution Championship Collection (Evo) 2025, according to a post on the r/fightsticks subreddit that tracked every controller utilized by the highest 8 gamers within the high competitions. The yearly event, which attracts combating recreation followers from the world over, is a convey your individual controller (BYOC) occasion, which has led to all kinds of attention-grabbing peripheral selections. As an illustration, this yr, someone brought a ridiculously giant fight stick.

The checklist, which Reddit consumer hugs_n_giggles has been placing collectively since 2019, contains different gaming peripherals, equivalent to arcade sticks, stickless controllers, and non-DualSense recreation pads. Whereas arcade sticks have been the preferred class, with 32, the PS5 DualSense was the preferred recreation pad (10), and had probably the most winners (3). No different particular person peripheral had as many appearances or wins. Regardless of the DualSense being disliked by many within the combating recreation neighborhood, the truth that 3 of the 8 Evo 2025 winners used this controller proves it is a top-tier choose.

PlayStation has invested closely in combating video games, bringing basically each well-liked title within the style to the console, together with “Road Fighter 6” and “Responsible Gear -Try-.” Sony Interactive Leisure (SIE), which owns the PlayStation model, cemented its relationship with the combating recreation neighborhood by buying Evo in 2021, making it the proprietor of the preferred FGC event in the USA. A results of that has been the additional implementation of PlayStation consoles, which have been already getting used previous to SIE shopping for Evo.

PS5 consoles, and in some circumstances PS4s for older titles, dominate Evo, main many to default to the inventory controller for the {hardware}. That may very well be why some gamers desire the DualSense pad over others, which have extra combating game-specific options, like a event lock. The $69.99 DualSense can be extra inexpensive than different combating game-specific controllers, just like the Victrix Pro KO leverless battle stick, which retails for $209.99.

Since Evo depends closely on PS5 consoles, many opponents discover it sensible to convey a controller that works with the Sony console out of the gate. In any other case, they would wish to convey alongside a converter, just like the $66 Brook Wingman FGC2. These units make it potential to make use of controllers from different producers on the PS5, but it surely’s one other system to maintain monitor of, and it is also one other expense. That mentioned, it won’t be a one-use buy, as converters will also be used to make your PS5 controller work with the Nintendo Switch 2.

Another excuse opponents lean towards the DualSense is that these controllers are exempt from two guidelines. In keeping with the Evo rules, PS5 DualSense and PS4 DualShock controllers are exempt from the wi-fi ban. Different wi-fi controllers have to be wired and have their batteries eliminated to be thought-about authorized, giving the DualSense an enormous leg up. As well as, DualSense controllers are exempt from the simultaneous reverse cardinal instructions (SOCD) ban, which supplies gamers sure benefits when urgent the left and proper or up and down inputs on the similar time. 

So, subsequent time you are considering of collaborating in a combating recreation occasion, it’s possible you’ll wish to convey the DualSense controller. Simply keep in mind the right way to clean a PS5 controller in case you spill an vitality drink on it throughout your bout.