Deathloop, GhostWire: Tokyo Developers Outline PS5 DualSense Features for Weapons and Combat

Sony still hasn’t announced a price or release date for the PlayStation 5. However, it did release the first ad spot for the console while numerous developers, both first- and third-party, discussed their thoughts on DualSense implementation via the PlayStation Blog. Arkane Lyon’s Deathloop and Tango Gameworks’ GhostWire: Tokyo are worth noting, seeing as both titles are Bethesda-published but are timed console exclusives for the PS5.

Both are also interesting in their approaches to weapon feel and combat. For Deathloop, game director Dinga Bakaba states, “I’m really excited by the adaptive triggers and the haptic feedback, both features that will bring some physicality in game experiences, and give important feedback. Deathloop being a first-person shooter, we do a lot of things to make weapons feel differently from one another.

“One I like is blocking the triggers when your weapon jams, to give to the player an immediate feedback even before the animation plays out, which prompts the player in a physical way that they have to unjam their gun.”

GhostWire: Tokyo also uses the adaptive triggers for recreating recoil but also for charging and unleashing energy in combat. Director Kenji Kimura says, “Just as the name ‘trigger’ suggests, the main use of the DualSense wireless controller’s adaptive triggers in Ghostwire: Tokyo is for ‘active’ actions—to shoot or trigger something—and we also use them to create the sensation of recoil. We’re also looking at ways to take advantage of the adaptive triggers to express a sense of persistent energy, or a balance of forces if you will, and for perhaps actions such charging, loading, and a sense of accumulation of power or energy for things.

“The haptic feedback, in comparison to the vibration function of previous generations, allows us to utilize a much wider range, starting from a very strong vibration that is much more powerful than before, down to extremely light vibration. This way we can offer players very detailed, ‘textured’ nuances. Because of this, our approach is different – it isn’t a transient or a constant vibration level anymore, it allows us to meticulously adjust the feedback throughout the game.”

Despite both titles being timed PS5 exclusives, they won’t be available with the console’s launch. Deathloop was delayed from holiday 2020 to Q2 2021 while GhostWire: Tokyo is simply scheduled to release next year. Nevertheless, first-time players will have a chance to try out haptic feedback and adaptive triggers on the DualSense with Astro’s Playroom, which is bundled with every PS5 console.

The PS5 is currently slated to release this holiday season. Stay tuned for more details in the meantime.