Sony has filed a patent for a controller-driven payment system titled Video Game Controller-Driven Information Transfer. Filed in March 2025 and published in September 2026, the technology allows players to tap credit cards or smartphones against a controller.
The controller acts as a bridge using NFC or Bluetooth to transfer payment details to the console. Features include displaying gift card balances on-screen and a tap-to-connect method for transferring player IDs or joining guest multiplayer gaming sessions.
This system streamlines purchases for games, currency, and add-ons, particularly for buying full titles after demos at events. It offers a new physical transaction method after Sony stopped selling physical PS Store gift cards in many global regions lately.