5 PlayStation franchises that deserve a themed PS5 DualSense Controller

PlayStation has a history of releasing accessories for their consoles that are based on various game series. To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the God of War series, fans will be able to get a PlayStation 5 DualSense controller with a God of War theme to it. The controller will have colors and a design that looks like Kratos himself in celebration of the series reaching its milestone. Other game franchises have seen similar DualSense variations, like the release of Sucker Punch's Ghost of Yotei on PS5. But while many are excited about these recent releases getting DualSense controller variations, there are many other PlayStation franchises that could be a good basis for a unique controller design.

There doesn't need to be an anniversary or upcoming new game release to give a reason for a DualSense controller to be made. Fans of PlayStation love a variety of different franchises from throughout the company's history, and would be eager to buy accessories that showcase their fandom of them. Whether it's something retro that dives deep into the legacy of PlayStation's 30 years of gaming, or something more recent and popular right now, PlayStation 5 owners should have more options for DualSense controllers with different themes for their overall design. Here are five PlayStation franchises that deserve a themed PS5 DualSense Controller that everyone would be excited to see made.

Uncharted

A controller of fortune

The Uncharted franchise is one of the biggest additions to the legacy of PlayStation. With multiple award-winning games that many people have praised over the years, it cannot be understated just how much that gamers love this series. With Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection and every other release in the series being part of the PlayStation Plus game catalog, it's easy to dive into any of the adventures of Nathan Drake at any time. And with talk about a new Uncharted game in the works for a while now, it may soon be the right time to see a DualSense controller with an Uncharted theme to it.

How would a PS5 controller based on the Uncharted series look? Would it have a gold color like the treasures that Nathan finds on his adventures, or bear a resemblance to the rugged look of Nathan Drake and his tomb raiding style? There are many different directions to go with something like this, all of which could highlight the adventuring that the series is known for. While the God of War DualSense controller for its 20th anniversary looked like Kratos' face, not every themed controller has to follow the same approach to be successful. PlayStation could have just as easily made the controller look like the axe that Kratos wields in the newer games, and God of War fans would have loved it.

But as a more recent success for the PlayStation brand, with remasters brought to PlayStation 5, Uncharted seems like an ideal choice for a DualSense variant. It has a strong connection to other franchises with the company now, The Last of Us, which also happened to get its own themed DualSense controller. Having both hits from NaughtyDog with their own stylish DualSense controller would be very interesting to see.

Ratchet & Clank

As good as the R.H.Y.N.O.

If you've played any of the Ratchet & Clank games, you know how much tech plays a huge part of the stories in them. Whether it's Clank using his various accessories to help Ratchet get around, or any of the crazy weapons the pair uses against enemies, new gadgets are a huge part of the series. So it's very surprising that despite Ratchet & Clank: A Rift Apart being released on the PlayStation 5, we never saw a unique DualSense controller to coincide with it. This feels like a slam dunk idea that PlayStation 5 owners would've been open to buying, especially if they picked up the game for their console on release.

And yet, something like this doesn't necessarily have to be based on the latest Ratchet & Clank to come out. The duo have multiple releases across various PlayStation consoles that gamers have enjoyed throughout the years. The Ratchet & Clank Collection that released on PlayStation 3 put together all the games released up to that point into one bundle. But the games have also been put onto PlayStation Plus, as both classics and monthly bonuses, for subscribers that own a PS5. So most gamers aren't unfamiliar with the rest of the series now, which gives more reason for a special DualSense controller to be made.

A fun way to approach this would be to give the DualSense a design that feels inspired by the R.H.Y.N.O. weapon that appears in multiple Ratchet & Clank games. It's arguably the most powerful weapon in each title, and it easily lives up to its namesake. PlayStation could have a lot of fun with something like this, especially playing off the acronym when trying to sell it to PlayStation 5 owners.

Gran Turismo

Stylishly built to play

This is another PlayStation franchise that has surprisingly never had a PS5 controller variant. The Gran Turismo series, developed by Polyphony Digital, is legendary among gamers, especially those who owned the original PlayStation back in 1997. The series has grown exponentially since then, with multiple releases across different PlayStation hardware, including spin-off systems outside home consoles. The franchise has global appeal, and has grown so big that a big-budget movie was produced based on the game series, which was successful in its own right. So it's pretty confusing that PlayStation never had a DualSense controller design that was themed to Gran Turismo in any way, even with Gran Turismo 7 being a big game on PlayStation 5.

In the past, PlayStation has released different accessories with a Gran Turismo theme to them, including controllers. Things like a steering wheel felt like a necessity when playing the games in order to get the most authentic and deepest experience with the series. But for those who just want a stylish PS5 controller for their collection, something with a Gran Turismo-inspired look seems pretty obvious. Even with releases like My First Gran Turismo, which included PSVR support, nothing was done to coincide with the release.

The company could use the main logo and color scheme of the franchise as a basis, which would be good enough for most GT fans. But even pairing up with a car company that has their vehicles featured in any of the games could make for something more interesting. The developer has always partnered up with various car companies to license out models of vehicles to be featured within the games. So it wouldn't be too outrageous to see a sleek design of a new car be the inspiration for a DualSense controller. It could be something that looks very cool.

Crash Bandicoot

A legacy of play

Although things have changed over the years, the Crash Bandicoot series will always be associated with PlayStation. The original trilogy of games made by NaughtyDog for the original PlayStation console are some of the best platformers ever released. At a time when mascots for game companies were dominant, PlayStation made their presence known with the arrival of Crash Bandicoot and got everyone's attention. Luckily for all of us, the games were very good to play over and over again, and are still praised for their impact all these years later. The re-release of these games in the form of the Crash Bandicoot N.Sane Trilogy was positively received by everyone, further solidifying their place in the legacy of PlayStation.

With the 30th anniversary of PlayStation being celebrated, it would be neat to see one of the foundational series for the original PlayStation get a themed controller like other franchises. Having something that is colored to some of the things we see in the first few Crash Bandicoot titles would be ideal, especially if there's a lot of nostalgia baked into them. Whether that means having Wumpa fruits or crates involved somehow would be anyone's guess, but something to help celebrate the history the series has with the brand. Activision may own the Crash Bandicoot series under the Microsoft banner now, but it's never going to be disassociated with PlayStation, nor should it be ignored how integral the series was to the beginnings of PlayStation's history.

Horizon

A mythical and cultural design

One of the more recent series to start with the PlayStation 4 has also made waves among players on PlayStation 5. Horizon: Zero Dawn and Horizon: Forbidden West are fantastic games that ushered in a new world and characters into the pantheon of PlayStation franchises, which has continued on the PS5 with more releases like Horizon: Call of the Mountain and LEGO Horizon Adventures. But the company never officially released a themed DualSense controller with any of the games that came out, even when Horizon: Forbidden West was very popular. This feels like a big missed opportunity, especially with how creative a themed DualSense controller can be for the series.

The various mechanical beasts that Alloy encounters in the games would be a great idea to design a new PS5 controller. Anything that could involve the stylized tech components to them, as well as the glowing light they have in their eyes, could make for a very cool-looking DualSense controller. In addition, something that takes inspiration from the different tribes and environments that are so present in the games could be a unique design as well. Alloy's appearance and the look of the tribes she encounters are based on a variety of Native American and Nordic cultures, which have many unique symbols and color schemes that could make for a great-looking controller. Blending multiple aspects of the series into the DualSense layout could make for some interesting styles.

Pulling from the legacy for new looks

Seeing new controller variations released for a console is always an exciting thing, especially if the design of the accessories is very well done. The anniversary of the God of War series gave fans a Kratos-style, while the release of Ghost of Yotei brought the beautiful visuals of the game into the design of the PS5 controller. Fans of PlayStation love seeing things like this, and are always craving to see more interesting and unique looks that can mix up the look of a controller. PlayStation has so many franchises to look at for ideas that can make a visually pleasing DualSense controller, and they should take advantage of it every chance they can.