PS4 Specialty Controllers

The PlayStation 4 DualShock controller is one of the most popular modern controller designs among gamers today. However, certain games for the console offer unique experiences when paired with an equally unique specialty controller. Try taking your gaming experience to new heights with PS4 Specialty Controllers that can increase precision and immersion in so many of the latest and greatest video games.

PS4 steering wheels and pedal controllers

PlayStation 4 is home to a host of epic racing experiences, from the hallowed Gran Turismo franchise to newer titles such as Driveclub and The Crew. In fact, racing games have long been among the most popular genres of any console generation in the modern age of gaming.

Racing games are also frequently the most well-suited games to benefit from a specialty controller. Truthfully, many hardcore racing enthusiasts balk at the thought of using a traditional gamepad controller to race, when the authenticity and feel of a steering wheel peripheral can transform the sensation into a full-on immersive racing experience. Add on further specialty controllers such as pedal controls that simulate the feel of a real gas pedal, brake, and even clutch—and now you’re really in business!

Utilizing these specialty controller components can make a racing simulation feel just like driving a real vehicle. The most hardcore enthusiasts even incorporate them into a pre-built chassis, complete with a seat and a gaming screen where the windshield would typically be. This style of ultimate racing setup is the pinnacle of immersion on PlayStation 4.

PS4 arcade and fight sticks

Another massively popular genre among the PlayStation 4 fan base is fighting games. With incredible console exclusives like Street Fighter V as well as huge titles like Mortal Kombat 11, fighting games are universally popular among PS4 gamers around the world. And much like racing fans, many fighting game lovers have a preferred controller configuration, and it’s not a standard gamepad.

Arcade sticks (or fight sticks) ape the design and format of classic arcade cabinets, the true birthplace of the fighting genre. They typically offer a flat surface, adopting a joystick controller to the left and a number of plunger-style arcade buttons on the right.

This arcade-style layout is widely considered to be the most ideal for executing combos and tricky button patterns inherent to fighting games. The broad, flat surface in particular is key in allowing players to use all their fingers efficiently for complex button combinations—not just the thumb and index fingers as with a traditional gamepad. Competitive players will even regularly bring their own personal controller to any events they participate in, speaking further to the importance that arcade sticks have on precision and playability.

PS4 Joysticks and Flight Controllers

Flight simulators benefit from specialty controllers much in the same fashion as racing games. Joysticks can recreate the authentic feel of operating an airplane or other flying vehicle. Imagine the immense satisfaction in pulling the trigger during a heated dogfight in games like Ace Combat 7 with the immersive grip of a genuine flight stick in your hand.

Other PS4 specialty controllers

Other handy specialty controllers for the PlayStation 4 include the PS4 remote for those who want an easier, more standardized television-style remote control when browsing shows and movies, as well as the PlayStation Move controller, which has been repurposed from its days on the PlayStation 3 to work in conjunction with many titles for the PlayStation VR peripheral. A keyboard-style chat pad peripheral that connects to the base of the DualShock 4 controller can also be useful for those who tend to input a lot of text.