Sony’s new Back Button Attachment brings customizable paddles to the DualShock 4

Sony has announced a new accessory that adds two customizable back paddle buttons to a DualShock 4 controller. It’s called the Back Button Attachment, and it features a crisp OLED display and a dedicated button that allows you to quickly remap controls on the fly without having to jump into a menu within the PS4. Sony says that it can store up to three unique control schemes at a time and that it works with all games, including PlayStation VR titles.

This accessory will debut in the US on January 23rd for a reasonable $30. (I say “reasonable” because it’s clearly a play against Microsoft’s Xbox One Elite Series 2 controller, which also offers extra buttons — though, admittedly, a lot more buttons — for $179.99.)

Aside from being much cheaper, Sony’s solution is clever because it works with any DualShock 4 controller. The accessory plugs into the port on the bottom of the controller, is powered by the controller, and allows for audio passthrough via its 3.5mm headphone jack.

It’s peculiar for Sony to release an accessory like this so late in the PS4’s life cycle. Given that the PS5 is rumored to hit shelves by late 2020, Sony has either deemed that enough time to see if this experiment sticks or perhaps it’s a sign that the accessory will work with the DualShock 5.