Sony has filed a patent application for a PlayStation controller that could read payment details from a nearby credit card or phone, letting players make purchases without typing card information into the console.
The application, titled “Video Game Controller-Driven Information Transfer,” was filed in March 2025 and published on September 17, 2026. It describes a controller acting as a bridge between a payment method and a console.
In one example, the console asks for payment information and prompts the player to bring their phone close to the controller. The controller retrieves the details and sends them to the console. Sony lists NFC and Bluetooth as possible ways for the devices to communicate.
The filing explicitly says payment information could come from “a credit card or a gift card” held near the controller. One illustration shows a gift card being recognized on the console, along with its balance.
Sony says the system could be used to buy games, in-game credits and add-ons. It also describes someone buying a game after trying a demo at a store or gaming expo. The controller would pass the payment details along, while the console would verify them and process the purchase.
The same connection could transfer a player’s ID or help guests join a multiplayer game. The application does not announce a new controller or confirm that the feature is coming to PS5.
Sony has explored other controller ideas, including buttons that get harder the more you use them. It has also patented AI that turns gameplay into clips and a feature that could show ads during loading screens.
Meanwhile, a recent patent by rival Microsoft proposes ads after moments such as boss fights and multiplayer matches.
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