Sony has provided additional details about its arcade-style fighting game controller, the FlexStrike, originally codenamed Project Defiant, which will be released in 2026. The device features mechanical switch buttons and restrictor gates, and can connect to a PlayStation 5 via a PlayStation Link USB adapter. Two FlexStrike units can be connected simultaneously to the console.
An updated PS Link adapter, compatible with USB-C ports, will allow the FlexStrike to connect alongside Sony’s Pulse Elite wireless headset or Pulse Explore wireless earbuds. This setup, detailed in a new blog post, aims to provide an “ultra-low latency audio and voice chat experience.” Pricing information has not yet been disclosed.
The FlexStrike can also connect to a PS5 concurrently with a DualSense gamepad, which Sony states can be used “as an additional controller for navigating menus between fights.” The FlexStrike shares input controls with the DualSense, including a touchpad. A lever-mode toggle switch allows the joystick to function as a D-pad or as the DualSense’s left or right thumbsticks. The device also includes a dedicated lock button to prevent unintended layout changes during gameplay. Additional customization options are anticipated but have not been fully specified.
The FlexStrike is equipped with a nonslip base, which is removable. Beneath the base, built-in storage is provided for swappable square, circle, and octagon restrictor gates, and for the PS Link adapter. Sony plans to display the FlexStrike at Evo 2025 in Las Vegas, though the company has stated that the “display unit does not reflect final product design, which is subject to change.”
