PlayStation is known for stylish versions of its DualSense 5 controller and the company revealed its plans for a cute dual-analog gamepad in the style of Astro Bot, who is coming back later this year in his own game. It’s very cute.

It helps that Astro Bot and the DualSense both have a white plastic shell, so that was easy to replicate, but what nails the look is the touch pad, which resemble’s Astro-Bot’s eyes. It’s hard to describe, probably best to show it in this video.

“It is a true work of art and we could not be happier with the end result,” said Nicolas Doucet, head of studio at Team Asobi (which is making Astro Bot.”

Who is Astro Bot?

Fun fact, Astro Bot began life in 2018 the main character in a PlayStation VR game (then for the PS4) designed to showcase and demonstrate PS VR’s capabilities. In that game, he and his friend live inside of the older console’s DualShock 4 controller, so there is something of a history here.

He returned in 2020 in the pack-in game Astro’s Playroom which showed buyers of the PlayStation 5 how to use that console’s gamepad and its features.

Since then Astro has emerged, however unlikely, as a console mascot in the mold of Mario or Sonic in the old days of the early 1990s. He’s returning again on Sept. 6 with the self-titled Astro Bot launching for PS5.

The game will star more than 30 “VIP bots” who resemble Astro but are in fact callbacks to PlayStation exclusive titles over the past 20-plus years, including Uncharted, PaRappa, Sly Cooper, and even Killzone and Ghost of Tsushima.

The AstroBot DualSense 5 launches Sept. 6 and will cost $69.99 along with the game, pre-orders will open in select markets (mainly western Europe, the United Kingdom, and the U.S.) on Aug. 9.

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