Growing up with siblings meant constant fighting over the PlayStation that our parents had set up in the front room. We had a PS3 at the time, with only one controller between three game-obsessed kids. I didn’t envy our parent’s job of playing peacekeeper when one of us wanted our turn to play.
When the PS4 launched, our parents, learning from the painful mistakes of the past, ended up getting an extra controller, meaning we could play co-op games at the same time. When I tell you that the house turned from a warzone into a loveable playground full of family fun, I mean it. Well, for the most part.
Speaking from experience, it’s vital that you have at least two PS4 controllers for your console, even if there isn’t a rag-tag group of brothers and sisters fighting over it. If a controller breaks or runs out of power, having a backup is super handy.
Does the PS4 come with a controller, though? And if it does, how many do you get? Should you buy an extra PlayStation 4 controller? If so, which one? I’ll answer all of these questions for you, and more so that you don’t have to go through the problems that my parents did.
Does the PS4 come with a controller? Yes, the PlayStation 4 comes with one Dualshock 4 controller in the box. This is an official PS4 Sony controller designed to be used with the PS4 exclusively.
Thankfully, Sony isn’t in the business of forcing people to buy a controller with their consoles. You get one included in the box, but only one. That isn’t enough for most players or families, so I recommend picking up at least one of the controllers I talk about down below as well as the one you get with your PS4.
How Many Controllers Does the PlayStation 4 Come With?
The PlayStation 4 only comes with one controller. It doesn’t matter what edition or version of the console you get. The box itself has one Dualshock 4, and that’s it.
If you happen to get your PS4 as a part of a bundle from GameStop, Best Buy, or another retailer, you might get an extra separate controller. That PS4 controller will be packaged individually, though.
So, if you’re just looking to buy the base PS4 box, you’ll get one controller. If you want to buy a bundle, you can shop around to see what your options are. A lot of great PS4 bundles will include an extra controller and a game or two for a fraction of the cost compared to buying it all separately.
What to Buy if You Need a 2nd PS4 Controller?
3rd Party Controllers
If you do need to buy a 2nd PS4 controller yourself, you’ve got a large range of options. While there is only one official line of Sony PlayStation 4 controllers, there are a bunch of 3rd party models that range dramatically in price. You could get a functional PS4 controller for as little as $20, or you could spend $200 for a pro-controller variant designed for competitive gaming.
For most people, bang for your buck is most important. That’s why I recommend you buy the AUGEX 2-pack bundle. This bundle includes two 3rd-party PS4 controllers for around $40. That’s almost half the cost of a single official one. So you could get four controllers for the price of one.
Granted, you’re going to be sacrificing quality for affordability here. These controllers aren’t as good as Sony’s official ones, and you can tell the difference. That’s not to say they’re unusable because they’re not, but you will notice that they are lighter and that the buttons and thumbsticks aren’t made from the same quality material as the official controller.
1st Party Controllers
If quality isn’t something you can sacrifice, then you’ll be forced to purchase the official Sony Dualshock 4.
Believe it or not, this is the cheapest high-quality PS4 controller on the market, with all high-end 3rd party models costing over $100.
The Dualshock 4, on the other hand, will run you around $70. That might sound like a lot for a controller, but the build quality means that it will last you several years of intense use. My two siblings and I shared two PS4 controllers for the better part of a decade and they’re still holding up just fine.
Compare that to a 3rd party controller that will only last a year or two and you can see why spending the extra few (or not so few) dollars can be worth it.
Pros and Cons Between 3rd Party and 1st Party Controllers
3rd Party Controllers
Pros
- Affordability.
3rd party PS4 controllers tend to be a lot more affordable than 1st party ones. It isn’t uncommon to come across models for $20, whereas official Sony controllers are nearly four times the price.
- Versatility.
3rd party controllers are also a lot more versatile in terms of customization. The higher-end controllers have extra buttons, but even cheap models tend to have a range of different colors and patterns for you to choose from.
- Extra Buttons.
This doesn’t apply to the lower-end of 3rd party controllers. For the models that cost $60 and up, though, you’re likely to get some extra buttons for your bucks. Specifically, you might get two/four buttons on the backside of the controller. This is great for playing multiplayer games as it means you don’t have to take your thumbs off the thumbsticks to jump or reload.
Cons
- Quality.
When you’re spending $20 on a controller that’s meant to cost $70, you’re going to be getting what you pay for. These models, despite being perfectly usable and functional, are made from lower-grade materials. That means cheaper, lighter plastic. The controller will break easier, the buttons might stick, and the thumbsticks are susceptible to drift.
- Unsupported by PlayStation.
Because you’re not dealing with Sony, you’ll get no 1st party support for your 3rd party PS4 controllers. You’ll have to deal with the company you purchase the controller from if you have any issues.
1st Party Controllers
Pros
- Guaranteed Quality.
1st party PS4 controllers are pricey, but Sony justifies the cost with quality. Official Dualshock 4 controllers are made from strong plastics that will stand the test of time. You would have to go out of your way to break an official PlayStation 4 controller.
- Dedicated Customer Service.
Buying an official Sony controller means you get the benefit of working with the company’s customer service team if anything goes wrong. I can’t speak for everybody, but my experience with Sony’s PS4 team has always been nothing but helpful and positive, something that I can’t say the same for 3rd party companies.
Cons
- Expensive.
Sony’s 1st party controllers are not cheap. You could buy a brand new game, or two, for the price of a single controller. While the quality is worth the money, that’s still a painful price tag.
- Basic.
Compared to all of the 3rd party options out there, the 1st party PS4 controller is basic. There’s no option to add extra buttons, and there are far fewer colors and patterns available.
Conclusion
So, to sum all of that information up:
- The PlayStation 4 comes with one controller.
- If you buy a PS4 bundle, you might get an extra controller.
- You can buy extra controllers, either 3rd party or 1st party.
- 3rd party controllers are affordable, while 1st party ones are expensive but high-quality.
What Next – 50
Does the Xbox Controller Work on PS4?
Yes, it does. You’ll be able to use your controller of choice. All you will need to get your Xbox Controller working for PS4 or other consoles is an adapter.
Yes, PS4 can play Blu-rays. All PS4 models can play HD or 3D Blu-rays, which have a maximum video resolution of 1080p. However, none of the models support the 4K UHD Blu-ray format because it requires a specialized Blu-ray drive that the PS4 doesn’t have.