PlayStation Takes on SCUF with the Back Button Attachment
Aidan O'Brien
Many hardware companies, especially custom controller maker SCUF, have been providing customers with back buttons for years. Today, Sony moved into the game, offering players an officially branded way to get similar advantages.
PlayStation has announced a new Back Button Attachment for the DualShock 4 controller, which adds two programmable buttons to the back of the DualShock 4, along with a high-fidelity OLED Screen. The Back Button Attachment will connect with the controller by plugging into the jack that is normally used for headphones. Both paddle buttons can be programmed to perform up to 16 different actions, which PlayStation states will “shorten your response time,” while also giving more flexibility in competitive games.
The new attachment comes with three programmable profiles, allowing you to set different combinations of commands for the back buttons, then cycle through them at the touch of a button. It also features a 3.5mm headset pass-through, so you can connect any 3.5mm wired headset to the controller. The buttons can even be remapped on the fly, using a dedicate remap button, allowing you to change your setup in-game, instantly.
The new attachment will open up the joys of back buttons to a whole new market, who may feel that opting for a custom controller is a bit too expensive. If you have never used them before, having actions like jump and slide mapped to back buttons quickly feels very natural, and can make moving in games exceptionally smooth—especially in competitive games, where every millisecond matters.
The Back Button Attachment will launch on Jan. 23 and cost $29.99.
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