Sony’s adorable Astro Bot controller is now available for preorder

By wazup on August 9, 2024 Comments Closed / 32 views

The limited edition DualSense Wireless Controller arrives on September 6th for $79.99.

By Brandon Widder, a senior editor overseeing deals, gift guides, and commerce. He spent six years spearheading buying guides and consumer tech coverage at Digital Trends.

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The new Astro Bot PS5 controller — a:hover]:text-gray-63 [&>a:hover]:shadow-underline-black dark:[&>a:hover]:text-gray-bd dark:[&>a:hover]:shadow-underline-gray [&>a]:shadow-underline-gray-63 dark:[&>a]:text-gray-bd dark:[&>a]:shadow-underline-gray”>Image: Sony

As expected, Sony’s limited edition Astro Bot DualSense controller for the PS5 is now available for preorder for $79.99. The forthcoming gamepad, which is currently only available through the PlayStation Direct storefront and Antonline, will launch alongside the next Astro Bot game on September 6th, giving those who’ve secretly been wishing their peripherals had more, huh, eyes, another option to consider.

This isn’t the first time Sony Interactive Entertainment has released a special edition controller to commemorate an upcoming exclusive — it launched a symbiote-themed controller alongside Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 last year — but its latest collaboration with developer Team Asobi is far cuter. The new PS5 controller features shiny blue grips and buttons inspired by Astro’s signature blue accents, along with a pair of gawking blue eyes on the touch pad. It also sports some subtle, carved lines on both handles, giving the controller a bit of a sci-fi vibe.

Sony’s forthcoming collab with Astro Bot developer Team Asobi outfits a standard DualSense controller with colorful blue accents, a bit more texture on the handles, and the bot’s signature blue eyes.

The distinctions stop there, though. The limited edition Astro Bot model touts the same robust compatibility and battery life as your standard DualSense Wireless Controller, along with the same adaptive triggers, motion controls, and haptics. That being said, Team Asobi has supposedly added a ton of new interactions between the controller and the next Astro Bot game, allowing you to feel a wider variety of textures and surfaces while giving power-ups a more distinct feel. The original Astro’s Playroom felt like a glorified tech demo, and if our hands-on time with Astro Bot is any indication, the sequel will follow suit.