The PS5 Is Getting An Astro Bot Controller That Watches You While You Play

Astro Bot is getting a limited-edition DualSense controller just in time for the haptic feedback festival’s launch on PlayStation 5. What better way to be platforming through the cosmos than with a whimsical robot staring into the depths of your soul?

Announced over on the PlayStation Blog today, the Astro Bot Limited Edition controller is out the same day as Astro Bot, the game: September 6. It’s $80 and pre-orders start on August 9 at 10:00 a.m. ET. I have a sneaking suspicion this one might sell out. The limited edition Spider-Man 2 DualSense controller did and that one didn’t even look nice.

Here’s a trailer for the IRL version of the controller that Astro Bot uses to crash-land into each new planet in the game:

I love the cobalt metallic blue on the sides and the vey light-touch teal inserts for the acrylic buttons. The white analog sticks are especially nice. But those eyes, man those eyes. I assume they are printed onto the black touchpad because even in the product shot at the end of the trailer you can see them staring right back at you. Do I really need Astro Bot to witness all of my gaming failures or judge my pile of shame as it grows taller with each new release?

It’s a fitting limited-edition controller otherwise, since out of any PS5 exclusive, Astro Bot is probably the game that will make the most use of the DualSense’s haptic feedback features. The game is designed to try and make you feel the sand, water, and dozens of other textures from the very tactile sci-fi platformer as if you were really there. I got my hands on it earlier this year at Summer Game Fest and it really did feel like it was shaping up to be one of the best first-party games Sony has delivered so far this console generation.