New Attachment for DualShock 4 Adds Programmable Buttons

This morning on the official PlayStation Blog a new piece of hardware was announced for the DualShock 4. This small hunk of plastic with two buttons and a circular OLED screen is called the Back Button Attachment.

This new addition to the six-year-old controller has a unique look that adds extra functionality which has previously only been seen before on premium gamepads like the Xbox One Elite Controller or the SCUF Vantage.

As you might expect, the Back Button Attachment adds two programmable buttons to the back of the controller. They can be set to any one of 16 button inputs on the controller.

This would make sense as a replacement for the L3 and R3 buttons so you don’t accidentally move the sticks while trying to press them in. You can also set their inputs to nearly any other button on the controller.

You can also press the OLED screen on the peripheral to cycle between three different programmable button layouts. The screen will display the button assignments, but having the screen on the back of the attachment will surely be an inconvenience.

This new piece of hardware plugs into the bottom of the DS4 and uses up both the power and headphone ports. Fortunately, there’s a headset passthrough on the underside of the OLED screen so you won’t lose that functionality of the DS4.

Coming in at less than half the cost of a new controller, this $29.99 addition is a decent option as an alternative to the premium gamepads for the PS4 that can push well into the zone of $200.

Also, this is an official PlayStation product, so the build quality is sure to be solid. Not only that, but that also means it will likely have a snug fit and feel comfortable in the hands.

You can pick up the DualShock 4 Back Button Attachment for $29.99 USD ($39.99 CAD) when it launches next month on January 23, 2020. You can find the official video and images below.