Sony patents PlayStation controller that you can charge by leaving in sunlight
Battery life woes solved?

- A recently published patent seems to show a solar powered DualSense Wireless Controller
- This could help address one of the controller's biggest flaws, its battery life
- As a patent, it's far from a guarantee of a new product, however
In the future PlayStation gamers might finally have a reason to go outside, at least if this new Sony patent is anything to go by.
As discovered by enthusiast blog Tech4gamers, a recently published patent from Sony breaks down what appears to be a solar powered DualSense Wireless Controller for PlayStation 5.
The patent, parts of which we have machine translated, describes a controller that houses photovoltaic systems. These, according to the patent, would be capable of generating electricity without the need for any kind of external battery or charger.
In theory a constant stream of solar power, stored within the controller's battery, would help prevent the controller from running dry when you want to play. This could address one of the biggest problems with the DualSense Wireless Controller, its abysmal battery life.
A new line of solar powered DualSense controllers would be welcome, though you should bear in mind that it is far from a concrete certainty at this stage. Large companies like Sony file patents for new ideas all the time and many don't end up being used in any products.
Elsewhere in the patent world, Nintendo recently updated a patent that seems to relate to an AI upscaling solution for Nintendo Switch 2. This might allow older titles to be played with cleaner image quality on the upcoming hybrid console.
You might also like...
- Exclusive: the new KontrolFreek Call of Duty Performance Thumbsticks Speed Cola Edition might be the coolest looking yet and come with a limited in-game item
- I’ve spent hours honing my swing in PGA Tour 2K25, and while its shot craft remains excellent, familiar frustrations can’t keep it totally out of the rough
- It's not perfect, but Assassin's Creed Shadows' performance is impressive - it runs smoothly on the Steam Deck and Asus ROG Ally
Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox
Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more.
Dash is a technology journalist who covers gaming hardware at TechRadar. Before joining the TechRadar team, he was writing gaming articles for some of the UK's biggest magazines including PLAY, Edge, PC Gamer, and SFX. Now, when he's not getting his greasy little mitts on the newest hardware or gaming gadget, he can be found listening to J-pop or feverishly devouring the latest Nintendo Switch otome.
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.

















