Sony has finally stepped into the world of fight sticks with their own official controller. Called Project Defiant, this is the first wireless fight stick designed by Sony Interactive Entertainment, made especially for the PlayStation 5 and PC. While many companies have made fight sticks before, some officially licensed by the company, this is Sony's first time manufacturing one themselves, and it's clear they're aiming high.

Sony’s first-ever wireless fight stick

Project Defiant offers both wireless and wired support, using Sony's PlayStation Link technology. This means it can connect wirelessly with very low latency, so players can expect smooth and responsive gameplay. This is especially important in fighting games, where every frame and button press matters. You can also connect it with a USB-C cable if you prefer wired play. This probably comes in handy for tournament play, with plenty of setups together in a small space.

The fight stick offers a custom digital stick, buttons with mechanical switches, and a touchpad just like the DualSense controller. The stick also comes with interchangeable restrictor gates (square, circle, and octagon), so players can swap between them as per their preference. There’s even a built-in storage compartment to keep the gates and the PS Link USB adapter.

The stick and buttons are placed on a stylish surface that's half black and half white, resembling the look of the DualSense PS5 controller. The whole controller also fits into a sling carry case for easy travel, and it will even allow you to wake up your PS5 with the press of a button.

Sony says they'll reveal more details before the launch in 2026, including the final product name, its price, and the exact release date. But for now, this looks like a very promising option for PS5 and PC fighting game fans.

Alternate option for PC, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch users

However, if you're on Xbox or PC, there's another solid option coming soon. The team at 8BitDo revealed their new All-Button Arcade Controller last month, which is available for pre-order now and releases on July 15. Unlike Sony's stick, 8BitDo's design is leverless, meaning it has no joystick. Instead, all movement is handled through buttons. This form factor has become increasingly popular in the tournament scene, which makes use feel like Sony is behind the curve by not releasing a leverless version of Project Defiant (unless they just haven’t announced it yet).

This controller is available in two versions, one for Xbox and one for Nintendo Switch (both work on PC). The Xbox version includes RGB lighting and costs a bit more ($99.99), while the Switch version, priced at $89.99, skips the lights but includes everything else. Both support wireless and wired play and come with features like low-latency input, hot-swappable parts, and programmable buttons.

About the Author

Abdul Haddi

Abdul is a tech writer and Editor for PC Guide, specializing in all things tech, gaming, and hardware.