PS6 Controller Could Take Contactless Payments, New Patent Suggests

Ever wished you could just tap your phone on your controller to buy a game instead of typing out your card details? Well, Sony might be thinking the same thing.

A newly surfaced patent suggests that a future PlayStation controller—possibly for the PS6—could use NFC (Near Field Communication) to handle contactless payments and transfer your payment info to the console. The patent, titled "VIDEO GAME CONTROLLER-DRIVEN INFORMATION TRANSFER" and filed under application number 19082121, was originally spotted by Patentlyze. It describes a controller that can detect a nearby phone or payment method via NFC, then transfer details to the console. That's the same tech used for contactless bank cards and Nintendo's Amiibos.

Now, before you start imagining tapping your Visa card on a DualSense, remember: Sony files tons of weird patents, and most never become real products. So take this with a hefty pinch of salt. But what's interesting is why Sony says this feature would be useful. Instead of just making things easier for you, the patent argues that current methods of entering payment info can cause the console to "suffer" performance issues or even fail. By using the controller to handle the data transfer, Sony says it can improve console performance. It's a bit of a weird justification, but okay.

The patent mostly mentions "electronic devices" rather than actual bank cards, though one image does show a gift card being transferred. The controller would vibrate to let you know the details were detected. It also suggests other uses, like logging in guests for local multiplayer by tapping your phone on the controller, or even sending and receiving messages.

If this ever becomes a real feature, it's more likely to show up in the PS6 and its controller rather than the current DualSense. That's because the DualSense doesn't have NFC built in, and adding it now would probably cause price hikes and manufacturing headaches. Interestingly, Nintendo has had NFC in its Pro Controller since the Switch launched in 2017, but only for Amiibo scanning. Someone at Nintendo might be facepalming that they didn't think of using it for payments.

Of course, this is all just a patent for now. Sony might never implement it, or it could be years away. But it's fun to think about a future where buying games is as easy as a tap. Would you use contactless payments on your controller, or do you prefer the old-fashioned way? Let us know in the comments!