The new DualSense controller has seen an enormous spike in sales as gamers turn towards the new, current-generation peripherals with PlayStation 5 suffering from unavailability due to supply shortages worldwide.
According to a report by The NPD Group (via VentureBeat) earlier today, DualSense was the best-selling accessory of January 2021 in the United States. While actual sales numbers were not shared, spending on game accessories in the country was recorded at $222 million for the month which is reportedly 73 percent higher compared to the same month a year ago.
DualSense was not alone though. The PlayStation Pulse 3D wireless headset was the best-selling headset/headphone accessory. Similarly, other gaming accessories like steering wheels and gamepads all set new sales records for January 2021 in the United States.
PS5 consoles are expected to remain in short supplies through to the end of 2021. Sony Interactive Entertainment is trying its best to ramp up manufacturing to meet the high demand in-between. DualSense, as well as other gaming accessories, are however expected to continue setting sales milestones as even those without a current-generation console spend on current-generation accessories to keep up with times.
Incidentally, the PS5 controller was also the best-selling accessory of December 2020 but in the United Kingdom. The previous-generation PS4 DualShock 4 controller settled for third place, which makes for an interesting analysis on the waning demand of DualShock 4 since DualSense can be used with PlayStation 4 consoles as well.
DualSense features new haptic feedback sensors and adaptive triggers to make players feel in-game sensations. For example; players can feel the gritty sensation of driving a vehicle through mud, gliding across a frozen lake, jumping into a pool or swimming, holding different kinds of weapons, or even being able to differentiate between walking on a wooden or sandy terrain.
