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DualShock

model series of gamepads for PlayStation

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General referenceInterpretive dossier study · Crown Archives visual atlas
Record originEnglish Wikipedia
Text licenseCC BY-SA 4.0
Source revisionSep 22, 2026
Entity authorityQ1262565
Source-derived summary

The DualShock (originally Dual Shock, trademarked as DUALSHOCK or DUAL SHOCK, with the PlayStation 5 version as DualSense) is a line of gamepads developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment for the PlayStation family of video game consoles. It is named for vibration-feedback and analog controls. Introduced in November 1997, it was initially marketed as a secondary peripheral for the first PlayStation console. The console's bundle was updated to include DualShock, and phase out the original PlayStation controller and the Dual Analog Controller. The DualShock is the best-selling gamepad of all time by units sold, excluding bundled controllers.

DualShock

Introduced in late 1997, the DualShock Analog Controller (SCPH-1200) can provide vibration feedback based on game activity, as well as input through two analog sticks. Its name derives from its dual vibration motors. These motors are housed within the handles, with the left one being larger and more powerful than the one on the right, to allow for varying levels of vibration. In comparison, the Nintendo 64's Rumble Pak has only one motor and is powered by a battery, while the DualShock has two motors and all corded varieties of the DualShock are powered directly by the PlayStation. The rumble feature of the DualShock is similar to that of the Japanese version of the Dual Analog Controller released a few months earlier, which was completely absent on all Dual Analog controllers released outside of Japan.

Editorial summary

“DualShock” enters the record as model series of gamepads for PlayStation. Crown Archives preserves that source wording while asking what DualShock, model and series can confirm, complicate or overturn.

Editorial reviewA dependable orientation record for establishing vocabulary, names and a first evidence trail. The current lead gives the account dated anchors—1997, 1200—that can be checked directly. The selected authority fields contribute no independent date. Its strongest next move is a source search built around DualShock, model and series.
Editorial analysis

Why this record matters

“DualShock” is worth following because a concise public description often conceals a longer documentary argument. Here, DualShock, model and series provides the most credible route into that argument.

Evidence profile

Vocabulary and entity names are the principal evidence signals here, because they determine the precision of every later search. The source revision retrieved here is dated Sep 22, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q1262565. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference. The first chronological checks are 1997 and 1200.

Critical limits

A concise general-reference account can conceal disagreements about scope, terminology or the weight assigned to individual sources. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.

How to read it

Use the entry as an orientation point, then follow its citations and revision history. Names, dates and institutional relationships should be checked against the original record.

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  • Search vocabulary
  • Locating named sources
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The closest primary source, responsible institution and strongest cited specialist reference.

Three-step research path

  1. Establish the record: confirm the title “DualShock”, its source revision and the description used here.
  2. Expand the search: follow DualShock primary sources, DualShock archive and DualShock research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
  3. Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.

Questions for further research

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Source & attribution

This entry incorporates text from DualShock” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.