Sony publishes Linux driver for PlayStation 5 DualSense game controller

Sony published a set of patches for the Linux kernel with a driver implementation for a game controller PlayStation 5 DualSense . The driver supports both USB and Bluetooth connection to the controller. Most of the features available in DualSense have been implemented, including LED indicators, touchpad, microphone, battery control, motion sensors (accelerometer, gyroscope) and vibration feedback.

A new hid-playstation driver has been proposed to work with DualSense, which is planned to be used for other Sony PlayStation peripherals in the future. The old hid-sony driver will be used for other Sony input devices not related to game controllers. Over time, the existing hid-sony code to support past models of Sony DualShock game controllers will be ported into the hid-playstation driver.

The new driver introduces the functionality of the DualSense game controller in the form of a compositive device spanning multiple frameworks … Three nodes evdev are used to support the gamepad, touchpad and motion sensors, and to implement vibration feedback – The FF (Force feedback) framework provided by the input system. Support for LED indicators is implemented via the leds-class interface, and to control the light strip near with touchpad – leds-class-multicolor .

Some of the new features first introduced in DualSense are not yet available, such as adaptive triggers and a VCM (voice coil motor) based haptic generator. Implementing these features requires processing a large amount of data and using fairly complex structures, as well as extending the Evdev and FF .

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