Sony’s latest patent hints at a PlayStation controller with tap-to-pay

Sony Interactive Entertainment has filed a patent application describing a system that could turn a PlayStation controller into a bridge for transferring payment information from a smartphone, credit card or gift card to a console. The application, titled “Video Game Controller-Driven Information Transfer,” was published by the US Patent and Trademark Office on September 17, 2026, although there is no indication that Sony currently plans to bring the technology to PlayStation hardware.

The application, US20260273403A1, was originally filed on March 17, 2025 and remains pending. It lists Alex Song and Daniel Hiatt among four inventors. At its core, the patent describes a controller that can detect a nearby electronic device, receive payment information and then forward that information to the connected game console.

The process would begin when the console displays a payment request and sends a notification to the controller. The controller could then detect a nearby phone or other device through wireless communication, proximity detection or physical contact. Sony's examples include NFC and Bluetooth, while some implementations could have the controller detect a QR code displayed on a phone. The controller could confirm that a connection has been established through its light, speaker or vibration motor before transferring the relevant information to the console.

Sony's patent covers several types of payment information, including credit and bank accounts, gift cards, digital wallets and crypto wallets. Payment details could be stored on the phone, provided through a console-related application or retrieved from a cloud server. Another example shows a physical card being tapped against the controller, after which the console displays confirmation and the remaining gift-card balance.

The technology is not limited to buying games. Sony also describes potential uses for in-game purchases, merchandise, food deliveries and gaming credits for tournaments, expos or arcades. The same controller-based transfer system could also handle player ID information, multiplayer session connections, screenshots, gameplay clips and chat data.

One particularly interesting example involves a game demo at a retail store or gaming expo. A player could see a prompt asking whether they want to purchase the game, tap their phone against the controller and have the title added to their game library, with a confirmation sent back to the phone.

Sony says the approach could simplify existing workflows that require multiple devices, such as using a phone to scan a QR code or a keyboard to enter credentials. However, this remains a patent application rather than an announcement of a new PlayStation feature. The filing does not confirm that Sony will add tap-to-pay functionality to the DualSense, PS5 or any future controller.

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