PS5 Going Controller-less? Rumors Say DualSense Won’t Be Bundled Starting January 2027

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The story

A rumor spreading overseas suggests that starting January 31, 2027, Sony’s standard PS5 package may no longer include the DualSense controller. The claim originates from the founder of Insider Gaming, not an official Sony announcement. On 5ch’s “Hardware/Industry” (Geha) board, many users reacted by calling it a “de facto price hike,” noting that a standalone DualSense costs around 10,000 yen. Others pointed to the precedent of the PS Vita TV, arguing this might just be a change in how it’s sold rather than the bundled version disappearing entirely, while some said it would actually be welcome news for anyone buying a second controller. Opinions were split.

PS5 to Sell DualSense Separately? Controller-less Sales May Begin January 2027

It has emerged that the PlayStation 5 may start shipping without its standard DualSense controller. The claim, which originated with the founder of Insider Gaming, has drawn attention overseas, with reports suggesting that starting January 31, 2027, the standard PS5 package will ship without a controller. However, this has not been officially announced by Sony at this time.

Bundle Contents May Change From Late January 2027

Source: sumahodigest.com / Original article here

What people said

2AnonymousOct 8, 2026 21:34
So it's basically a price hike, huh
a single controller runs about 10,000 yen on its own
3AnonymousOct 8, 2026 21:35
Guess the double-pack version gets discontinued starting next February?
4AnonymousOct 8, 2026 21:36
Guess they've given up on new customers, huh?
5AnonymousOct 8, 2026 21:37
Retailers will probably just bundle it themselves
7AnonymousOct 8, 2026 21:39
Chinese third-party controllers are more comfortable anyway, so this is good news
8AnonymousOct 8, 2026 21:40
Maybe you'll be able to use USB controllers again like on the PS3 lol
11AnonymousOct 8, 2026 21:42
No disc drive, no controller
16AnonymousOct 8, 2026 21:46
Re: #11
A few years back that would've been considered flat-out defective lol
12AnonymousOct 8, 2026 21:44
So they keep the price the same but shrink the box to something more 'affordable,' huh
15AnonymousOct 8, 2026 21:45
Next they'll slash the storage down to just enough for system data
17AnonymousOct 8, 2026 21:47
Will retailers pull out too, so it's only buyable straight from Sony?
18AnonymousOct 8, 2026 21:48
That's a de facto price hike
How are the PlayStation faithful gonna spin this one?
19AnonymousOct 8, 2026 21:49
Do they think pricing it at 49,980 yen will trick people into thinking it's cheap?
22AnonymousOct 8, 2026 21:52
True-blue PlayStation fans probably already bought the dual-pack and have spare controllers lying around, so they'll be fine
23AnonymousOct 8, 2026 21:52
For the Pro model I could kind of get it since some people are upgrading anyway, but no controller on the base model is unthinkable
24AnonymousOct 8, 2026 21:53
Maybe they'll make controllers scarce and jack up the price that way
25AnonymousOct 8, 2026 21:54
Anyone who's not just upgrading still needs a controller
so… a price hike?
26AnonymousOct 8, 2026 21:54
How are the PlayStation faithful gonna spin this one?
30AnonymousOct 8, 2026 21:58
Is the controller gonna come as a paper code too? Where would you even redeem that? (referring to the printed vouchers some games now ship with instead of a physical disc)
31AnonymousOct 8, 2026 21:58
Surely they wouldn't actually ship it with no controller at all
60AnonymousOct 8, 2026 22:51
Re: #31
The Vita TV had a standalone version with just the console and no controller, plus a 'Value Pack' bundling a controller and an 8GB memory card.
If you ask which one counted as the 'standard package,' it was actually the standalone version.
So it's not that the controller-bundled version disappears entirely — it's just that kind of sales approach, isn't it?
32AnonymousOct 8, 2026 21:58
So you buy the console and still can't play? lmaooooo
what a barrier to entry lmaooooooo
34AnonymousOct 8, 2026 21:59
Classic Sony
taking the 'entertainment' thing way too far lmaooooooo
35AnonymousOct 8, 2026 21:59
Nah, this actually works — it's perfect for people who just want an extra premium controller
36AnonymousOct 8, 2026 22:00
For the PS6, making it compatible with PS5 controllers and selling a cheaper controller-less version wouldn't be a bad idea
37AnonymousOct 8, 2026 22:01
Just release a budget version with the useless stuff like haptic feedback stripped out
You know nobody actually uses that
40AnonymousOct 8, 2026 22:05
Honestly the Switch 2 is the one I'd want a controller-less option for
since you can already choose between Joy-Cons and the Pro Controller anyway
41AnonymousOct 8, 2026 22:05
Re: #40
Honestly you don't even need the screen either
Just give me the bare minimum for 40,000 yen
45AnonymousOct 8, 2026 22:13
Hmm
It's kind of annoying when companies find some excuse to sell essential stuff separately, like phones without a charger
Makes me miss the days when accessories just came free
75AnonymousOct 8, 2026 23:11
Re: #45
I didn't realize the newest tablets charge via PD chargers,
so when I used a Type-C charger from an old flip phone, it threw an error and started overcharging
53AnonymousOct 8, 2026 22:39
Does buying the controller separately end up being way overpriced?
55AnonymousOct 8, 2026 22:43
Re: #53
You probably haven't seen it, but a single PS5 controller costs over 10,000 yen
57AnonymousOct 8, 2026 22:49
Are they gonna start pulling the 'shrink the contents, keep the price the same' trick now?
59AnonymousOct 8, 2026 22:50
Re: #57
Isn't that basically what the Wolverine edition did?
64AnonymousOct 8, 2026 22:54
I don't think this is a bad strategy as price hikes go
If they make people buy the controller separately, retailers get a bigger cut from that sale, so it could partly compensate retailers for losing disc sales
68AnonymousOct 8, 2026 22:58
Re: #64
All I can picture is scalpers snapping up every controller
They pulled the same move with the Blu-ray drive too, didn't they
67AnonymousOct 8, 2026 22:57
Pulling a stunt like this while still not allowing third-party controllers is just awful
69AnonymousOct 8, 2026 22:58
Re: #67
Isn't this exactly the kind of situation they were planning for?
Double-dipping on profits with official controllers
87AnonymousOct 9, 2026 00:00
If you're gonna strip out the controller, just raise the price already lol
90AnonymousOct 9, 2026 00:03
Re: #87
I think it's just a desperate move to disguise a price hike

Background and Key Points of This Discussion

The PS5’s DualSense controller isn’t cheap on its own, starting at around 8,800 yen standalone — a significant cost relative to the console itself. As one Vita TV example raised in the thread shows, Sony has previously treated a controller-less console as its “standard package” before. In this case too, removing something that was previously bundled and selling it separately will likely raise the total amount customers end up paying, even if the console’s listed price stays the same or appears to drop — which is why many in the thread called it a “de facto price hike.” At the same time, some argued it’s actually reasonable for people buying a second console or who just want to replace their controller, so opinions were divided. This information originated with the founder of Insider Gaming and has not been officially confirmed by Sony. Many details remain unclear — including the release timing, whether it applies only to the base model or the Pro as well, and how it would be handled in Japan — so for now this should be read strictly as a rumor.

*This article is compiled and summarized from the 5ch (Hardware/Industry, Geha) thread “PS5 to Sell DualSense Separately? Controller-less Sales May Begin January 2027.”

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