PlayStation has a crop of new hardware launching in 2026. No, unfortunately I don’t have anything to tell you about the PS6, but I recently had the chance to visit PlayStation HQ and go hands-on with a slate of upcoming PlayStation accessories, the FlexStrike wireless fightstick, the Pulse Elevate wireless speakers, and the first official PlayStation-branded gaming monitor.
Let’s dive right in with the FlexStrike wireless fight stick. Now, I’ll say right off the bat that I’m not a hardcore fighting game enthusiast, but that’s actually the kind of person that PlayStation is targeting with the FlexStrike. Sony reps told me that they built the FlexStrike for the kind of player who is interested in leveling up their fighting game experience and graduating from playing with a DualSense controller, as opposed to people who already have a favorite fightstick.
That makes a lot of sense, because “wireless” is practically sacrilege when it comes to FGC enthusiasts. Now before you freak out, let me make it clear that the FlexStrike can be used with an optional wired connection, but being able to play wireless adds a nice bit of freedom for gamers who are just playing at home on the couch and don’t necessarily need the absolute tip-top speeds of a wired connection. Even so, wireless is handled via a PlayStation Link dongle that can support two FlexStrikes at once, and there was no perceptible latency during my hands-on.
This ethos carries through to the design of the FlexStrike as well. It has the same black and white color palette and sleek, futuristic look as the PS5 and DualSense controller. It’s also lightweight and fairly thin compared to the handful of fightsticks that I’ve used in the past. This is not a bulky box – it feels more like a MacBook sitting on your lap, with a nice textured grip pad on the bottom and a comfortable slope to the button pad area that aids in ergonomics.
The buttons use proprietary mechanical switches, but they don’t have much of an audible click when pressed. The stick on the other hand has a satisfying audible click when actuated. The balltop is unscrewable for folks who want to use a different topper, while the underside of the FlexStrike has an interchangeable restrictor gate that lets you swap between a square, octagon, and circle. We weren’t allowed to film this bottom section, but the FlexStrike’s bottom panel hinges open and has spots underneath to store the spare restrictor gates as well as the PlayStation Link USB dongle.
The FlexStrike can fully function as a standard PS5 controller – though good luck playing Elden Ring with it – up top are all your traditional menu buttons, a touchpad, and a switch that swaps the stick between controlling left and right thumbstick inputs or the D-Pad. There’s also a lock button that sets the controller to tournament mode and prevents you from accidentally pausing or opening the menu during a match.
And, bonus, the FlexStrike comes with a padded carrying case that can be configured as a backpack or sling bag. The case has storage areas for the included USB cable, as well as a nice padded well to protect the stick.
All told it’s an attractive fightstick that I think perfectly achieves the aim PlayStation is going for. I’m not enough of a fighting game authority to weigh in if the FlexStrike will sway enthusiasts away from their current favorite fightstick, but for those who are looking to move up from playing on controller, it’s a compelling option. That’s doubly true if you’re primarily a PS5 player – the FlexStrike is compatible with PC as well – both wired and wirelessly – but its PlayStation aesthetic makes it a natural choice for gamers in Sony’s ecosystem. Critically, it achieves this goal without sacrificing on high-end features that would make it incompatible with hardcore FGC players.
The FlexStrike launches on August 6, the same day as Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls, for $199.99. Pre-orders begin on June 12.
PlayStation 27″ Gaming Monitor
Up next we have the first gaming monitor built specifically for use with the PS5. As a game console, most people associate the PS5 with a TV and couch type living room setup, but it also works great paired with a gaming monitor at a desk. That’s where the PlayStation 27” Gaming Monitor comes in. It’s fairly run-of-the-mill as far as gaming monitors go: it has a 1440p resolution IPS display with a 240hz refresh rate and support for HDR and VRR. What makes it interesting is a built-in charging hook where you can stow a DualSense controller.
I do the majority of my gaming from my desk, both with controller and mouse and keyboard, and my controller floated nebulously on my desk until I invested in a charging dock and gave it a proper home. The charging hook solves that problem while also freeing up desk space, making it an easy recommendation for anyone looking to build a PS5 desk setup. Conveniently, the hook can fold up behind the monitor if you want it out of the way when not in use.
Beyond the charging hook, another PS5-minded design choice is the inclusion of two HDMI 2.1 ports in addition to a DisplayPort 1.4 input. PS5 uses HDMI, while most modern graphics cards offer both HDMI and DisplayPort. This means you can connect the monitor to both your PS5 and PC via HDMI if you want, instead of limiting your PC to the DisplayPort connection.
Spec-wise, the monitor is nothing special, but it’s worth noting that the specs do match the PS5 well. While most TVs these days run at 4K, the PS5 is perfectly capable of outputting at 1440p – and in fact doing so means that you can more easily hit higher framerates, even while prioritizing image quality. It’s worth noting that while the monitor is capable of up to a 240hz refresh rate, that’s only for PC. The PS5 itself caps out at 120hz.
That said, the specs found in the PlayStation monitor will typically run you around $200, while this is priced at $349.99. There’s definitely a unique benefit to the built-in charging hook, and doubly so if you want a monitor that aesthetically matches the PS5. Just know that you’re paying a bit of premium for those unique features. The monitor will launch on August 27, with pre-orders starting on June 5.
Pulse Elevate Speakers
The final stop on our hardware tour is the upcoming Pulse Elevate wireless speakers. PlayStation told me the goal for these was to provide the sound quality and features of using a gaming headset, but without, well, the headset. The Pulse Elevate have a few tricks to achieve that goal.
Like the recent Pulse Elite headset and Pulse Explore earbuds, the Pulse Elevate speakers use PlayStation Link, Sony’s proprietary low-latency lossless wireless audio tech. While the speakers appear to be wired at first glance, the cord actually only connects to their charging puck, which the speakers sit atop via a cute nesting design. This means that you can easily reposition the speakers if their ideal sound position isn’t a place where you want them sitting all the time.
The speakers have planar magnetic drivers and a built-in woofer to provide powerful sound across the audio spectrum. I played a few minutes of Ghost of Yotei and Saros, and was impressed by both the volume and clarity the speakers were capable of. Directional audio was also not a problem – they have PlayStation’s tempest 3D audio tech built in, and I had no problem hearing directional audio cues in Saros, just as if I was wearing a gaming headset.
Beyond sound output, the Pulse Elevate also have a built-in microphone and can function as a mic for voice chat and phone calls. Critically, the speakers have an AI-enhanced noise rejection system that helps pick up your voice even while music or game audio is blaring loudly. In my demo, a PlayStation rep recorded a sound clip while music was playing so loudly that I could barely hear what he said, and when we listened back the audio was crisp and clear, with no evidence that music had been playing while it was recorded. Seriously impressive stuff.
The Pulse Elevate speakers will come in black and white colorways, but pricing and release date are yet to be announced.
