There was a hidden feature in the old PlayStation 2 controller that we bet you didn't even realize you were using at the time.
Do you remember playing games such as GTA Vice City, or Gran Turismo on your PlayStation 2 back in the early 2000S? Back then, you'd probably used to press the "X" button harder in order to drive fast, even though that wasn't possible, right? WRONG!
Old PlayStation 2 Controller's Had Pressure Sensitivity Features
While many players are familiar with the controller's vibration and dual analog stick capabilities, up to this day, barely anyone knows that 16 of its buttons are pressure-sensitive, meaning they can detect varying degrees of force applied.
The DualShock 2's face buttons, shoulder buttons, and even the D-pad were pressure-sensitive. This allowed the controller to detect how hard a button is pressed, providing a range of input values rather than a simple on/off state.
While not all games used this feature, the impact it had on the ones that did was quite significant. In Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, lightly pressing the Square button would aim a weapon, while pressing it fully would fire. In Gran Turismo 3 and Gran Turismo 4, the harder the player pressed the X button, the more the car would accelerate, simulating the effect of a gas pedal. And in FIFA games, it could control the strength of a pass or shot.
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The DualShock 2 on the PS2 had pressure-sensitive buttons that were cool for its time, but it barely scratched the surface of what’s possible now. Fast-forward to today, and controllers like the PS5 DualSense and Xbox Elite Series are packed with new technologies, like adaptive triggers, next-level haptics, motion controls, and insane customizability, but it's still a shame this feature didn't carry forward.