The FlexStrike fight stick was announced as Project Defiant at Sony's State of Play event in June.
Sony has shared details about its first wireless fight stick, which was revealed at State of Play last month as Project Defiant. The new controller is officially called FlexStrike and will be available in 2026. The PlayStation parent also detailed the features of the fight stick, which will be compatible with both PS5 and PC. The FlexStrike controller supports wireless connection via Sony's proprietary PlayStation Link interface and wired connection with a USB Type-C cable.
The fight stick has been designed by Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) and features mechanical switch buttons and toolless swappable restrictor gates, Sony detailed in a post on the PlayStation Blog Monday. The FlexStrike wireless fight stick also comes with a sling carry case that makes it travel-friendly.
The FlexStrike fight stick connects wirelessly using a PS Link adapter, but on the PS5, Sony's proprietary adapter will also allow players to connect a Pulse Elite wireless headset or Pulse Explore wireless earbuds simultaneously alongside the fight stick for voice chat and audio.
Players can also connect two FlexStrike fight sticks to a PS5 with a single PS Link adapter for couch co-op play. The updated PS Link adapter bundled with the fight stick is compatible with USB-C ports.
PS5 owners can also keep their DualSense wireless controller connected to the console at the same time as the fight stick. The controls on the fight stick are the same as a DualSense controller — triangle, circle, cross, and squre buttons alongside R1, R2, L1, L2, and a touchpad. Players can also customise the controls further by switching directional inputs with a built-in lever mode switch, or locking in their desired layout to prevent accidental inputs with a dedicated lock button, Sony said.
The FlexStrike wireless fight stick comes with a sling carry case
Photo Credit: Sony
Once paired to a PS5, FlexStrike can also wake the connected console with a quick press of the PS button on the fight stick.
The fight stick comes with swappable restrictor gates, the PS Link adapter, a USB Type-C cable, and a sling carry case. The Flex Strike gamepad will be on display at the upcoming Evo 2025 in Las Vegas from August 1 to 3. Sony has not shared details on release date and pricing, but the fight stick will be available in 2026.
Sony's new fight stick gamepad was announced alongside Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls, the company's first-party fighting game being developed by genre veterans Arc System Works in collaboration with Marvel Games for PS5 and PC. The fighting title will feature a deep roster of Marvel heroes, renderred in Arc System Works' unique art style. Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls will feature 4v4 matchups and will be released on PS5 and PC (via Steam and Epic Games Store) in 2026. The FlexStrike fight stick will likely be launched alongside the first-party title.
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