The DualSense controller has long been praised by game developers ahead of its release, and now that the gamepad is available for purchase, folks have been testing it even before the official launch of the PlayStation 5 console.
We've posted a guide to set up the DualSense controller on PC, but the true next-gen feature of the DualSense is the haptics feedback. This works through audio, as we already know, and someone managed to use it to play DOOM's original soundtrack as you can see in the video below; the pad was placed on a box to get passive amplification through transduction.
The method used to do this was first described in a Reddit post, according to which it may be possible to get haptics feedback even in PC titles through the games' regular audio.
The DualSense uses Quadraphonic (4 channel) audio inside its controller. I'm assuming the front speaker channels are used for the microphone. The rear two are used for the rumble it appears (after a lot of testing). That means the actuators will respond to ANY noise and adjust their rumble to the pitch/tone of audio.
Of course, this couldn't possibly be a refined experience, but it should give you a small taste of what the DualSense controller can do even if you don't currently plan to get a PS5.
Over time, it is possible that enterprising PC modders will improve the way audio can interact with the pad's haptics motors in PC titles. Granted, an official implementation from Sony would be ideal, but we reckon it's not coming any time soon as this is one of the defining features of the next-gen console that's due to debut this Thursday in North America, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Singapore, and South Korea, and next Thursday elsewhere in the world.