Sony just patented a questionable new feature for PS5 controllers that will

Sony appears to have just patented a new feature for the PlayStation 5 DualSense controller that will fundamentally change how you pay for content on your console. This patent allows the controller to essentially be turned into a payment device, as long as you have a smartphone somewhere nearby.

The patent Patentlyze discovered currently includes figures and drawings, so nothing is imminent. However, with this technology, you might never have to manually enter your payment information through the PlayStation 5 again.

Sony patents controller technology that turns it into a payment device

Sony’s new patent works fairly simply. All it does is enable your DualSense controller to act as the middleman between your smartphone and PlayStation 5. In theory, you just need to keep your smartphone near a linked DualSense controller while the PlayStation 5 is on. Then you can make a purchase through the console.

However, instead of entering your credit card information directly into the console, you can use your smartphone via the controller to make a payment. Basically, you transfer your payment details to the controller, which then sends that information to the console, allowing you to complete your purchase.

While this may sound like a roundabout way to pay for a game or product on the PlayStation Store, it might give players some peace of mind. When you enter your payment information directly on your console, you’re choosing to store it on the console itself. That information can then be easily viewed by others or hackers, which Sony seems to attract; they could theoretically access those details through a data breach.

By using your phone via the controller, you don’t have to save your payment info in the console. This also saves you from having to input the same details into the console every time you make a purchase if you choose the “don’t save” option at checkout.

Of course, the new patent may also have drawbacks. According to the figures shown in the patent, players might be able to simply bring a credit card near a controller to make a payment. While this seems fine on paper, it could make it easier for younger players to make purchases on the PlayStation Store with a guardian’s permission. Or, friends could exploit this and make unauthorized purchases on another player’s account as a joke.

Regardless of how this patent shakes out for Sony, it would still seem to require secondary checks before authorizing a purchase to prevent exploitation. Still, in a vacuum, this is a neat, unexpected way to use the PlayStation DualSense controllers.