PlayStation Wants You to Use Your Controller to Simplify Payments
Overview & Key Takeaways
PlayStation has filed a patent that allows the DualSense controller to read cards via NFC to pay for digital goods.
Near Field Communication, commonly known as NFC, has simplified card transactions, greatly speeding up the payment process. According to a recently filed patent, Sony wants to bring NFC to its DualSense controllers in order to enable faster PlayStation purchases.
Every player who uses a controller knows how much effort it takes to type using the D-pad and analog stick. You have to go through this process when entering passwords or adding card information. Most phones on the market feature NFC, which allows users to hold their device near a payment terminal to complete a transaction. This comes in particularly handy when making everyday purchases, as it eliminates the need to pull out your wallet, insert the card into the machine, and enter your passcode. Sony also wants to simplify the payment process on console by adding NFC to PlayStation controllers.
PlayStation files patent to add NFC features to DualSense controllers
Image: Sony
With this technology, players would be able to complete a purchase simply by holding their phone or card near the DualSense. But that's not all — if you were able to easily connect your phone to the console, it would also open the door for all sorts of data transfers via NFC.
While there are advantages to using NFC for payments, there are also drawbacks, mainly the fact that if someone gets hold of your phone or card with NFC, they can easily use it to siphon money from your account. If this idea moves forward, the same risk would apply to DualSense controllers. Some disgruntled fans have also been quick to point out that while Sony seems to challenge the assumption that buying games means owning them, the company is eager to give players a quicker and easier way to spend their money.
The fact that Sony filed this patent doesn't mean that the technology will be implemented. If it were, players wouldn't have to use it; it simply gives them a choice to do so. Many players already have a card linked to their PlayStation account, which skips this process entirely — that's as easy and as quick as digital payments can get.
