A new patent describes a system that could allow digital purchases to be made through the DualSense , using a smartphone.
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The PlayStation controller could take on a very different role in the future than it does today. A new patent from Sony describes a system through which a controller, such as the DualSense, could act as an intermediary for making digital payments. The application was filed by Sony Interactive Entertainment in March 2025 and published on September 17, 2026. At the heart of the technology is the communication between the user's smartphone, the controller and the console.
The mobile phone transfers the data to the controller
According to the patent description, the user could bring their smartphone close to the controller, with the system recognizing the device and starting the process of transferring the relevant data. Technologies such as NFC and Bluetooth, while Sony is also considering scenarios in which the process could be activated by physical contact between the devices.
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The controller could even notify the player that it has located the smartphone using the features it already has. The notification could be via vibration, sound, light, or a combination of these. Simply put, instead of the player having to type in a card's details into the console, the smartphone could take over the transfer of the necessary information, with the controller acting as an intermediate "station" in the process.
It doesn't mean it's coming to the next PlayStation
As with any patent, there's an important caveat: Sony has not announced that this technology will be available to consumers. Filing and publishing a patent shows that the company has examined and technically described a specific idea. However, it is not a confirmation that it will move from the patent stage to a commercial product or a future PlayStation firmware update.
Still, this proposal presents an interesting scenario for how shopping could evolve in the PlayStation ecosystem. If it ever comes to fruition, the DualSense wouldn't just be used to control games, but could become part of the payment process itself.
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For now, then, "DualSense as a wallet" remains an idea on paper — and it remains to be seen whether Sony will ever decide to turn it into a real feature.
