DualShock 4 was originally designed to work with the Morpheus VR headset

One of Sony’s top designers admitted in an interview with TechRadar that the DualShock 4 game controller, which comes with the PlayStation 4 console, was originally designed to be used with the Morpheus virtual reality headset.

Indeed, many people were worried about the fact that the luminous lightbar, located on the front surface of the DualShock 4, is practically not involved in most of the games. Sony Designer Jed Ashfort shed light on the mystery that has been shrouded in this part of the PS4 gamepad.

“Our engineers said that we definitely need a luminous panel in the new gamepad. They explained that it will be used in conjunction with the PlayStation Camera to track the player’s position in space when using a virtual reality helmet. ”

Despite the fact that the PlayStation 4 came out almost 6 months ago, Sony worked on the Morpheus virtual reality helmet for much longer. Of course, the development team was forbidden to disclose this information before the official announcement of Morpheus at the GDC exhibition in March 2014. And only now, when the embargo is over, were they able to share the truth with us.

“When the console went on sale six months ago and everyone started grumbling that this luminous panel would be reflected in the screens of their televisions, we were very worried because we had no opportunity to explain to them the importance of this element and its role in the future of the gaming industry.”

The latest version of the PS4 firmware, number 1.7, has the opportunity to change the brightness of the glowing panel so that it does not blind you in the dark and does not reflect on lacquered surfaces in the dark. As you understand, when using a Morpheus helmet, no surrounding glare and a bright glow can prevent you.

In addition to its main function, the lightbar performs other, less important tasks. For example, when you lose health during a game, it changes its color from green to red, thus indicating that it is time for you to heal. Also, using a lightbar, the console determines the location of the players on the couch and assigns them serial numbers according to where each of them sits - this is very useful for the fighting games, so as not to confuse, where is the character on the screen.

The date of the commercial launch of the Morpheus helmet is still a mystery, but at the upcoming E3, Sony may shed light on this mystery. Let me remind you that E3 2014 will be held from 10 to 12 June.

The article is based on materials https://hi-news.ru/gadgets/dualshock-4-iznachalno-byl-sozdan-dlya-raboty-s-vr-garnituroj-morpheus.html.