With the latest firmware update for the DualSense controller The haptic feedback has noticeably changed when playing backwards compatible games. This impression is not just subjective, but actually exists.
This was revealed by Naughty Dog's co-game director, Kurt Margenau. who explained on Twitterhow the feature has been optimized with regard to backward-compatible games. This particularly benefits... The Last of Us: Part II with the latest update.
Months ago, they provided the DualSense team with relevant feedback to improve the timing, intensity, and texture of the haptic feedback in backward compatibility mode, aiming to achieve the feel developed for the original DualShock 4. This is slightly softer than the vibration of the DualSense controller.
The path to problem solving
The question that arose was how to implement an appealing backward compatibility mode given the physical mechanisms used to achieve haptic feedback. The DualShock 4 controller uses two differently sized rotating weights inside, while the DualSense controller has two weights that move forward and backward, expressing frequency and amplitude with extremely high fidelity and low latency (comparable to a loudspeaker).
The controller firmware in the DualSense now receives the "old" signals that turn a motor (with a much higher latency) to emulate the resulting feel in the controller using a completely different mechanical method. This involves taking into account all the timing variations in the rumble built into the design of the DualShock 4 and mimicking the inherent variation and rumble feel that comes with the rotating motor.
All of this happens without having to change the game code, and is of course thanks to the fantastic work of the DualSense team.
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A trigger stop function could be introduced via a firmware update for PS4/5 games.
Apple sells the DualSense in its store