Sony’s colorful DualSense controllers harmonize with my color palette

I’m not usually the kind of person who’s easily persuaded by new colorways of controllers that I already own. But Sony’s new DualSense colors are a little different — or, they’re not, actually. I just found a reason to care about them. The three vibrant, wintery-hued controllers are my colors.

As a holiday gift, I got my “colors done” alongside my wife. I didn’t ask for this gift, but it has yielded a couple of benefits already. I strive to wear winter colors that bring out my eyes, hide my blemishes, and generally make me look ready to take on the world (look out, world!). And now, I’m surrounded by these three DualSense controllers that make me feel like I’m getting the most out of my pricey color analysis and also make gaming on the PS5 feel a little more lively.

These three new colors (starlight blue, nova pink, and galactic purple, as Sony calls them) might seem too intense for some tastes. Your hunch may be spot-on, but they’re a very welcome dose of excitement that the PS5 has needed since launch. While Microsoft led with bold blue, yellow, red, and other color patterns (even a gorgeous, translucent model, for crying out loud) closer to the launch of the Xbox Series X and S, Sony’s been dragging its feet, to the dismay of color enthusiasts everywhere, until now.

Even though each of the three colors falls neatly within my color palette, I gravitated toward two of them: the pink and the purple. The purple used on the DualSense is a luscious, deep hue that I enjoy looking at, and sometimes I’ll just pick it up to be closer to the color. It has become my night-time controller, when I’m trying to take it easy and have a relaxing session. But when I’m feeling in need of a burst of energy with a short gaming break, or it’s a bright weekend morning filled with possibilities (and lots of time to chip away at Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade), the nova pink controller radiates the color to match that mood.

Each of these controllers is now available through Sony’s PlayStation Direct site for $74.99 and will release through other retailers in the coming days (or weeks, depending on the color you want). As for the console covers, Sony plans to release them in all three of these new, stunning colors, so you can mix or match them with your controller. But until those release, Sony’s PlayStation Direct store will offer console covers in midnight black or cosmic red starting on January 21st (with more retailers to follow on February 18th).

I guess, then, I have some time to think about whether I’ll combine a purple console cover with a pink controller or go with a black console cover like I originally intended to do. Having options can be paralyzing, but for the PS5, more customization options are overdue. And if these particular colors resonate with you, you’ll probably enjoy owning one of them.

Photography by Cameron Faulkner / The Verge