Latest news with #ProjectDefiant
Gizmodo
28-07-2025
- Gizmodo
The New PlayStation 5 Fight Stick Is Way Weirder Than It Looks
Sony's new controller for PS5 is unlike any of its other twin-stick, two-handed controllers, and not for all the obvious reasons. Sony's 'Project Defiant' fight stick now has a new name, FlexStrike, and a vague release date—2026. But the more intriguing, and more annoying, aspect of the fight stick is how it will connect to your PlayStation 5 or PlayStation 5 Pro. The FlexStrike features all the face buttons and triggers of a regular DualSense controller along with a single Japanese-type fight stick with a ball top. All the buttons are based on mechanical switches, which should offer a more tactile, clicky experience than anything you get with a controller. What's special about the FlexStrike is it includes a bottom panel that's stacked with several different types of restrictor gates. There's a square, octagon, and circle gate that plug in underneath the stick to offer a feel that's specific to your favorite arcade cabinets. All that would be good enough for today's demanding fighting game aficionados. However, FlexStrike isn't just any other Bluetooth controller; it's also using a proprietary connectivity standard called PlayStation Link. It's a 2.4GHz connectivity that's specific to PlayStation through a special connectivity codec and offers faster response times than Bluetooth. Microsoft uses a similar proprietary standard for devices to connect to the Xbox Series X (you can't connect Bluetooth headsets to Xbox consoles without an adapter). Sony hasn't talked about this standard since early 2024, when it debuted the PlayStation Pulse Elite headset and Pulse Explore wireless earbuds. Both those devices use a USB-A adapter you need to plug into your PS5 or PC first. The new version coming with FlexStrike uses USB-C. That's a pretty important change, since the slim version of the PS5 and the PS5 Pro no longer have USB-A on the front panel. You can connect up to two FlexStrike controllers to a single PlayStation Link and use them alongside your Pulse audio products. Your regular DualSense controllers work over Bluetooth, and Sony said you can have both going at the same time should you want to swap back and forth for navigating menus. If you don't want to plug the PlayStation Link into your PC or console, you can use a simple wired connection instead. In the time since PlayStation Link hit the scene, Sony has made numerous updates to its consoles and pushed out its $700 PlayStation Pro console. Why Sony didn't simply build PlayStation Link into its premium gaming hardware is a mystery I couldn't begin to solve. If companies continue to use proprietary 2.4GHz codecs, then they should be more like HP with its HP Omen Max gaming laptop, which makes the connection to the company's own products seamless. Sony should start thinking about a universal 2.4GHz connection for all its products. The company also sells Inzone buds and headsets for gaming with a separate 2.4GHz dongle, which isn't the same codec as PlayStation Link. Then there are products like the Bravia Theater U neck speaker, which plugs into a PS5 controller to access the console's touted 3D audio features. Why, oh why, can't we have a single dongle for everything? Or, you know what's even better? No dongle at all for low-latency connections.
Engadget
28-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Engadget
Sony's wireless fight stick is now called FlexStrike and it features mechanical switch buttons
Sony just dropped some more details about its upcoming wireless fight stick, including the real name. During development, it was known as Project Defiant but it's officially called the FlexStrike. This is the very first fight stick controller designed by Sony Interactive and it's compatible with both PS5 and PC via either a wired or wireless connection. It's also extremely easy on the eyes, as you can see below. Fighting games require precise inputs with no lag, and wireless controllers aren't typically the preferred option. However, FlexStrike capitalizes on the PlayStation Link technology to deliver "ultra-low latency wireless" gameplay. This requires the included PS Link USB adapter, which is compatible with USB-C ports. The controller features angled surfaces and a non-slip base so it shouldn't move around during frantic play sessions. It also includes a custom-designed digital stick and mechanical switch buttons. It even features a touchpad, so it boasts just about every input found on a traditional DualSense. The aforementioned adapter can be used to connect two FlexStrike controllers at once, or to pair a single controller with Sony's Pulse Elite headset or Pulse Explore earbuds. A standard DualSense can also remain connected to a PS5 at the same time, for menu-diving and the like. The FlexStrike controller will be available sometime in 2026. We don't have a price yet, but we do know that it ships with a nifty carrying case.
Tom's Guide
28-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Tom's Guide
PlayStation's first fight stick gets an official name — meet the FlexStrike
PlayStation's wireless fight stick gets an official name! Previously revealed as Project Defiant during the June 2025 PlayStation State of Play presentation, the company's upcoming peripheral now has the official moniker of the FlexStrike Wireless Fight Stick. Given how Sony owns Evolution Championship Series (EVO), it's no surprise that the company has just given its first fight stick an official name just days before the fighting game tournament kicks off. As detailed on the PlayStation Blog, the FlexStrike is compatible with PS5 and PC via either a wired connection or wirelessly with a PlayStation Link adapter. The latter is Sony's low-latency wireless technology, which devices like the Pulse Elite Wireless Headset utilize. This should help to minimize input lag when playing wirelessly. The FlextStrike has mechanical switch buttons and toolless swappable restrictor gates—including square, circle and octagonal gates that fit into the peripheral's built-in storage compartments along with the included PS Link USB adapter. It's very rare for the best fight sticks to have more than one restrictor gate included, so this is a nice bonus. It also makes sense since it's possible that standard Sanwa parts aren't compatible with the FlexStrike. Speaking of bonuses, the FlexStrike comes with a sling carry case that has a built-in rechargeable battery. It also comes with a USB-C cable for wired play, though it's good knowing that the carrying case can keep the fight stick charged if you prefer playing wirelessly. Other features include the ability to use a single PS Link USB adapter to connect the FlexStrike and a Pulse Elite headset or Pulse Explore earbuds, or to connect two FlexStrike controllers simultaneously. You can also keep your regular PS5 DualSense controller connected at the same time as the FlexStrike if you need that controller to navigate menus between fights. You can also turn on your PS5 by pressing the FlexStrike's PS button, which is a feature third-party fight sticks lack. If you're attending EVO 2025 this weekend from August 1 to 3, you can see the FlexStrike yourself at the Fight Stick Museum and the Arc System Works booth. Unfortunately, this peripheral will be displayed only, meaning you can look but not touch! As for the rest of us, we'll have to wait until sometime in 2026 to check out the FlexStrike for ourselves. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. Follow Tom's Guide on Google News to get our up-to-date news, how-tos, and reviews in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button.
Tom's Guide
05-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Tom's Guide
Sony reveals Project Defiant arcade fighting stick
Sony has a new PlayStation-branded arcade-style fight stick coming soon. The controller, dubbed Project Defiant, was just announced during the June 2025 State of Play showcase. It should pair nicely with some of the best fighting games on PS5 as well as the recently announced Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection and the Arc System Works fighting game Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls. The teaser only showed the stick, but more details were revealed in a subsequent PlayStation blog post. There Sony revealed that the controller can wirelessly connect to a PS5 or PC using PlayStation Link technology, though you can optionally plug it in via a USB-C cable. According to Sony, the Link allows for "ultra-low latency" with the aim of facilitating precise responses when pressing buttons or moving the stick. The Project Defiant fight stick is "custom designed" by Sony and features at least eight buttons with mechanical switches. It's a digital stick, so you can move it orthogonally but not freely in any direction. There is also a touchpad similar to the one on the DualSense controller and interchangeable restrictor gates. The controller will also come with a carrying case that includes a lever gap to keep the stick safe. Sony did not share a release date beyond 2026 instead saying that more details would come in the "months ahead." Those details will include the actual device name and eventually the launch date. But we'll have to wait and try one for ourselves to see if it's one of the best fight sticks for PS5. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips.
Gizmodo
05-06-2025
- Business
- Gizmodo
PlayStation's Big Plan to Defy the Switch 2 Is a Wireless Fight Stick for PS5 and PC
Sony's in a strange state now that the Switch 2 has finally seen the light of day. In an effort to claw back some of the spotlight, PlayStation declared it's making its first wireless fight stick, called 'Project Defiant.' At first glance, the controller seems like a solid option for fighting game fanatics. The main issue is that Sony is holding it back for an entire year. Project Defiant, a name that seems a little too on the nose considering the other big gaming hardware hitting the scene today, is a full-on fight stick complete with the typical PlayStation-centric layout you know from the DualSense controller. It's a device made with the hardcore fighting game player in mind. The pad has toolless interchangeable restrictor gates that sit inside a compartment whenever you need them. Restrictor gates sit underneath the stick to create a physical sense of the stick's orientation. PlayStation's new controller supports the Japanese-style square restrictor gate as well as a circle and octagon. The buttons are built on mechanical switches, which should hopefully offer a tactile feel. Project Defiant is still a PlayStation controller, and you can access touchpad functions along the top of the controller. Sony's stark black and white design lends itself well to the typical fighting stick design, especially the glowing LED accent where the pane with the stick meets the raised button panel. Like its more recent headsets, the controller uses Sony's own PlayStation Link for low-latency connectivity, which means you'll need to use a special USB dongle. Sony says Project Defiant should be compatible with both PS5 and PC, but if you want to avoid the dongle, you can connect it via USB-C. The controller even includes its own carrying case. So you're probably wondering how much it costs or when you can get one. Unfortunately, Sony hasn't revealed anything about release timing beyond a planned launch in 2026. The company does tend to reveal peripherals months before launch, even before offering the device's official names, like Sony's 'Project Q' which eventually became the PlayStation Portal. There were only three months between the reveal of Sony's odd streaming handheld and its launch. Sony is hankering to claw as much spotlight away from Nintendo's Switch 2. The technology giant dropped trailers for a few key games at its latest PlayStation State of Play, though videos for big games like Ghost of Yōtei and Metal Gear Solid: Delta didn't include much to chew on. Yōtei was merely a teaser trailer for yet another State of Play set to debut in July. The more landmark announcements, like the new trailer for IO Interactive's 007: First Light alongside more footage of Silent Hill F. At the very least, the return of Final Fantasy Tactics with the new title The Ivalice Chronicles built up some buzz from longtime fans. We'll have to wait and see if there will be any more gaming hardware news that can burst the Switch 2's hype bubble. Sony is reportedly working on a handheld to rival the Switch or Steam Deck, but it has yet to materialize beyond rumors. We're still waiting to see if the Xbox-branded Asus gaming handheld can take our eyes away from either Nintendo's or Valve's latest devices. Last week, Windows Central reported Microsoft reportedly sidelined its own Xbox handheld so it could work on a version of Windows 11 made for handheld form factors.
