Editor
Lloyd Kelly Miralles chevron_right
Sony has formally unveiled the FlexStrike, its first-party wireless fight stick designed for PS5 and PC. The controller will get a public showcase at Evo 2025 in Las Vegas, ahead of a full launch planned for 2026. Sony has yet to announce pricing, but the company says FlexStrike will be visible on the show floor, giving fans their first close look before release.
Built with competitive play in mind, FlexStrike pairs PlayStation Link low-latency wireless with the option to go wired over USB-C. Under the hood, it features a custom digital lever and eight mechanical-switch buttons, plus conveniences typically found on a DualSense controller, such as a touchpad, PS button wake, a lever-mode selector for directional inputs, and a lock switch to prevent accidental presses during a match.
Customization is a major focus. Players can swap the joystick’s restrictor gates—square, circle, or octagon—without tools, then stow the extra gates inside the chassis. The unit also features a non-slip base, an angled wrist rest for added comfort, a built-in rechargeable battery, and an included sling carry case for convenient
Local play and system integration are streamlined. On PS5, two FlexStrike units can share a single PlayStation Link adapter for same-screen battles, and you can keep a DualSense paired for menu navigation. FlexStrike also supports simultaneous PlayStation Link audio, so a Pulse Elite headset or Pulse Explore earbuds can run alongside the stick for low-latency game sound and voice chat.
As PlayStation’s first in-house arcade stick, FlexStrike signals a deeper push into the fighting-game scene with hardware that’s tightly integrated into the PS5 ecosystem. The name change from the earlier Project Defiant to FlexStrike comes with finalized feature details and the 2026 timing, positioning the controller to arrive as the competitive calendar heats up.
Sources
- YugaTech
- PlayStation Blog
- TechRadar