Firmware Update Brings Better Haptics to The Last of Us Part 2

The DualSense PS5 controller has added a whole new dimension of game immersion with its fantastic haptic feedback. While many thought it may be just a gimmick, it’s changed the way people ‘feel’ their games. PS5 games that find a good way to use this haptic feedback to their advantage have created an entirely new experience. Still, this same level of feedback was missing from PS4 games played in backward compatibility mode. This included Naughty Dog’s The Last of Us Part 2, but a firmware update to the DualSense controller has since changed that.

Having to update a controller may seem like a stranger activity to some, especially since it never had to be done on the PS3 or PS4. Still, it makes improvements like this a reality without having to buy a completely new unit. Kurt Margenau, Co-Director of The Last of Us Part 2, explains how this happens and how all the improvements to the haptic feedback come entirely from within the controller.

He says that they didn’t have to make any changes to the code in The Last of Us Part 2. Margenau discussed how the DualShock 4 and the DualSense controllers use entirely different mechanical methods to generate the vibration and rumble. This makes it much more difficult for PS4 games played on the PS5 to correctly read the directions from the game and make the appropriate response.

Sony fixed this issue recently, allowing the DualSense controller to interpret the DualShock’s rumble signals and recreate them. As the two use completely different mechanical systems, it isn’t as simple as converting a file type, so this fix is pretty impressive. What’s more, this may go beyond just the Last of Us Part 2, and PS5 users may start experiencing this from other PS4 games as well.

The rumbling should also feel much more in line with what the DualShock 4’s would feel like, resulting in a far more immersive experience that aligns much closer with what the developers intended.

Players will still not be able to enjoy the full effects of the haptic feedback unless they access the PS5 version of the game, but this will still improve the experience a lot.

About The Last of Us Part II

The Last of Us Part II is a an action-adventure game developed by Naughty Dog and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment for the PlayStation 4. The game is set 5 years after the events of the first game.

Players control Ellie on her journey for revenge against The Wolves, a faction which has set up in Seattle. On her journey, Ellie fights against survivors of the Cordyceps apocalypse and new variants of the infected. The game mixes elements of stealth and gun-play in vast areas, allowing players to approach the situation as they see fit. The Last of Us Part 2 received an overall positive reception and has gone on to win several Game of the Year awards.