PlayStation has revealed the name and release window of its upcoming wireless arcade fight stick: it’s called the FlexStrike, and it’s launching sometime next year.
The FlexStrike was first revealed under the codename Project Defiant back at this year’s summer State of Play, but it’s now shedding its development moniker. What’s more, Sony has revealed more about what you can actually expect from the peripheral.
It’ll be compatible with both PS5 and PC, and you’ll be able to use it with both via a wired connection or wirelessly (using the included PlayStation Link adapter, of course).
On the technical side, you can expect “mechanical switch buttons and toolless swappable restrictor gates”, which include “square, circle, and octagon restrictor gates” you can slot into the storage compartments alongside the aforementioned PlayStation Link adapter.
You’ll be able to hook both the FlexStrike and a Pulse 3D headset, or the Pulse Explore earbuds, up to your PS5 using a single PS Link adapter, and you can even connect two FlexStrikes up with the same adapter if you want to battle alongside (or against) a friend.
If you’re not looking to use the FlexStrike to wander through game menus, you can keep your PS5 controller connected while you’re using it, and since the FlexStrike features the same button inputs as a DualSense, you can probably use it as a standard controller as well, if you’re so inclined.
You can check out a trailer showing off what the FlexStrike can do and what kind of aesthetic it’s sporting (hint: it’s pretty similar to the PS5’s design) right here.
If you’re lucky enough to be attending Evo in Vegas next month, you’ll be able to get a first look at the FlexStrike. The rest of us will have to wait until 2026, and we’ll presumably learn more about pricing and release dates in the coming months.
