Sony's given a welcome update on its plans for cross-generation compatibility ahead of the PlayStation 5's launch later this year, specifically looking at hardware and accessories.

The big news to come out of the new blog post is that, unlike Microsoft's inclusive plan for the Xbox Series X's controller options, your PS4's DualShock 4 will only be useful in certain circumstances once you get the new console.

Sony says that the DualShock 4 will be compatible with the PS5, but only when you're using it to play backwards-compatible PS4 games on the new hardware. If you're playing a new PS5 game, you'll need to do it on DualSense, the newest version of its controller. 

That's slightly disappointing news (no using your existing controllers to avoid buying more pads for couch co-op), but not entirely surprising given that DualSense is making a few more telling upgrades than Microsoft's new controller.

With more advanced haptic feedback and trigger systems both coming into play, along with an in-built microphone, it stands to reason that Sony wants its PS5 games to be designed for the new controller, without cutting corners to work with older hardware.

That also leaves third-party controllers in an interesting place - Sony says they too will work with PS4 games but not PS5 games, although we presume various manufacturers are working on new versions to plug that gap. 

Accessories are safe

However, more widely the accessories front is looking good - with Sony clarifying that most accessories that work on PS4 will do so on the PS5 too, especially any third-party headsets which use USB or 3.5mm connections. 

That means your racing wheels and fight pads, if they're officially licensed, should work fine. We already knew that PSVR would work with the PS5, and Sony's again confirmed that to be the case.