Please support Game Informer. Print magazine subscriptions are less than $2 per issue
Dual Shock 4 Controllers Now (Mostly) Compatible With PlayStation 3
If you’ve been in the market for a new PlayStation 3 controller, you might want to consider looking at something a bit more current. Sony stealthily added some support for PlayStation 4 controllers in the most recent PS3 firmware update.
Reddit user “shafiggy16” has posted a tutorial on how to get your Dual Shock 4 up and running, and the process is straightforward. The system won’t automatically recognize the controller, so you’ll need to register it as a Bluetooth device (similar to a remote control or headset).
That can be found under the “accessory settings.” Once your PS3 is scanning for new devices, hold the share and PlayStation buttons until the light starts blinking rapidly. On the PS3, choose to pair the controller, and you’ll be in business.
The PlayStation button on the Dual Shock 4 can turn on the PS3, but you won’t be able to use it to return to the XMB from within a game or bring up the options to switch controller assignments or power down the system. Now, if only we could find a way to use existing controllers on my PS4 for Towerfall (since Dual Shock 3s aren't forward compatible), we’d be set.
[Source: Reddit]
Our Take
With the exceptions of the missing PlayStation button features, this solution is wonderful. I’m among the many who find the Dual Shock 4 to be an enormous improvement over its predecessor. My PS3 backlog just got a lot more attractive.
I’d like to ask you to support Game Informer’s continued coverage of games with a subscription. For less than two dollars per issue, we mail you a full year of 10 print magazines, each with cover stories and preview features filled with exclusive details about the most exciting upcoming games. We profile and interview game creators. We look back on the rich history of gaming, and we celebrate what’s next.
Here on the website, we offer much of our content for free, including game reviews, daily news, videos, event coverage, and more – all with minimal ads.
We do so with a small editorial team, alongside contributing paid writers from around the world – over 65 individuals from 9 countries around the world, just in the last couple of years.
It’s not possible without support.
In a time when game makers and games coverage have faced hard struggles and layoffs, the future of this 30+ year magazine and community is at risk. Our new standalone magazine subscription is the number one way you can keep us alive – and we believe you’ll get a pretty fantastic gaming magazine in your mailbox every few weeks for your trouble.
Thank you.
