● Covered by 1 source · 1 reportLow impact1 neutral
Sony patent describes PlayStation controllers accepting tap-to-pay credit card and gift card payments
Key points
- Sony patent describes controller-driven payment system.
- Payments accepted via tap-to-pay credit cards, phones, gift cards.
- System could simplify game and in-game content purchases.
- Patent filed in March 2025, published September 17.
PlayStation Controller Payment System Patented
Sony has published a patent titled “Video Game Controller-Driven Information Transfer,” outlining a system where a PlayStation controller can accept payments. This system would allow users to tap credit cards, smartphones, or gift cards directly onto the controller to complete purchases.
How the System Would Function
The patent includes illustrations showing a TV prompting a game purchase, with a PS5 DualSense controller and a smartphone nearby. Another image indicates a “Gift card received!” message, suggesting an end to manual code entry for PlayStation Store balance top-ups. The system supports both NFC and Bluetooth for transactions.
Potential Use Cases
Beyond in-home purchases, the patent suggests that gamers could be prompted to buy a game after playing a demo at a retail location or event. The console would process the payment once a card or phone is presented to the controller. The role of the PlayStation smartphone app in this process is not explicitly detailed but is a possibility given the Bluetooth support.
Current Hardware and Future Implications
The patent imagery features a PS5 console and DualSense controller, indicating that this concept is not tied to unreleased hardware like a rumored PS6. It is important to note that the existence of a patent does not guarantee the feature will be implemented in a shipping product.
✨ This summary was generated by AI from the outlets' reporting listed below. It is not independently verified and may contain errors — check the original sources. How BrevFeed works →
The daily brief
One email each morning: the day's tech stories, clustered across outlets and summarized. No account needed.
One email a day. Unsubscribe in one click, any time.
Today's brief
Spend a few minutes, get the whole day. Every topic's top stories in one hands-free rundown — listen, watch, or read the transcript.
▶ Play today's brief
New every morning, and the back catalogue is archived by date.
Reporting from
A recently published Sony patent details a system allowing PlayStation controllers to accept payments via tap-to-pay credit cards, smartphones, and gift cards. This system could simplify purchases of games and in-game content directly through the controller.