January 23 sees the launch of Sony’s DualShock 4 Back Button Attachment in the US, which adds an additional two buttons on the back of the pad aimed at competitive gamers. The peripheral costs $29.99, and is slated to arrive in Europe on February 14, priced at €29.99.
A number of critics have given their verdict on the DualShock 4 Back Button Attachment, and we’ve rounded some of them up below.
DualShock 4 Back Button Attachment
For folks looking to dive into the world of back-panel buttons without having to spend more than $100 on an entirely new controller, the DualShock 4 Back Button Attachment does its job admirably well, and at a fraction of the cost.
Whether the Back Button Attachment is a sign of a PS5 future to come, or just a neat, additional offering from Sony, I’m very glad to have it. Its arrival may be as odd as first trying to plug in the attachment, but after a few days playing with it, it already feels like an integral part of my PlayStation playtime. And if it’s here to stay, I’d welcome a world where it’s built into the controller.
The DualShock 4 Back Button Attachment is an easy way to add more functionality to your PlayStation controller. The idea is to free up your other fingers by programming common actions to fingers that are normally doing nothing. This is useful for shooters where you may want to keep your thumbs on the analog sticks at all times. Now, you can jump or melee without having to move to the face buttons.
The DualShock 4 Back Button Attachment turns your controller into a customizable gamepad for just $30. It’s an excellent choice for competitive multiplayer fans, and being able to experiment on the fly with different configurations means you can find your ideal setup in seconds.
If you’re looking at this thing and struggling to think of any games where back button commands might be helpful, then sure, this probably isn’t a product for you. But Sony’s first attempt to offer fans a cost-effective option for adding back buttons to the DualShock 4 is a big success, and a no-brainer purchase if you’ve ever shopped for that feature and balked at the third-party prices.
To its credit, though, the Back Button Attachment makes for a relatively cheap upgrade, at $30. In comparison, the SCUF Vantage 2, aimed at pro gamers, costs roughly $200. If you’re a medium- to high-level gamer, Sony’s new peripheral might be the perfect fit. For the rest of us, it’s likely a taste of the future of DualShock.