The PlayStation 4 slim has a redesigned controller with a new view of the lightbar
It can't be easy to be Sony this week. Not only was a new PlayStation 4 Slim discovered on Gumtree, bought and then booted up, but now we've got a second source leaking a video of the newly redesigned controller. ZRZ on YouTube has shown off the new version of the Dualshock 4 which has one notable change; we can now see the lightbar from the touchpad. The video has now predictably been removed by Sony but you get the idea from the gif below.
The owner of the leaked console, @shortmaneighty2 on Twitter, has confirmed that this is the definitely the case with his PS4 Slim's controller too and has said that rather than a whole new lightbar as previously thought, it's just a window into the same one. No need to worry about battery issues then.
@Jed05 I am not sure that it's an additional light, It looks to be just a slim see through part on the touchpad which lets light through.August 23, 2016
This feels like a small tweak but it's a nice change. The lightbar was primarily designed for tracking purposes for PlayStation VR but many games use it as indicator when you're playing. The only problem with that is that you can't see it properly. Alien Isolation uses the lightbar as a flashing motion tracker and Destiny currently lets you know if your super attack is charged or you've got low health, so it'll be interesting to see if more developers choose to use it now it's on top of the controller.
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Louise Blain is a journalist and broadcaster specialising in gaming, technology, and entertainment. She is the presenter of BBC Radio 3’s monthly Sound of Gaming show and has a weekly consumer tech slot on BBC Radio Scotland. She can also be found on BBC Radio 4, BBC Five Live, Netflix UK's YouTube Channel, and on The Evolution of Horror podcast. As well as her work on GamesRadar, Louise writes for NME, T3, and TechRadar. When she’s not working, you can probably find her watching horror movies or playing an Assassin’s Creed game and getting distracted by Photo Mode.