Sony Patent Envisions Tapping a $25 Gift Card on a PlayStation Controller
The filing also describes profile transfers, phone-based game purchases and safeguards relevant to contactless payments.
WASHINGTON — Sony Interactive Entertainment has filed a patent for a video game controller that could use Near Field Communication (NFC) to handle transactions, transfer media and help players join multiplayer sessions by tapping a smartphone or smart card on the gamepad. The patent does not confirm plans to add the technology to Sony’s products.
Titled “Video Game Controller-Driven Information Transfer,” the filing was published on September 17, 2026, after being filed in March 2025. It describes a handheld controller acting as a localized data transceiver between external devices, physical payment methods and a gaming console.
In one example, a user swipes a physical $25 gift card across the controller to add credit to a digital wallet, avoiding the need to enter an alphanumeric code with an on-screen keyboard. The controller would pass financial or account data from a phone or contactless card to the console for processing. Another proposed use is at a public expo or retail kiosk: someone testing a game demo could tap a smartphone on the controller to buy the full game, linking the transaction to a personal account and triggering a remote download to their home console.
The system’s technical schematics describe short-range wireless protocols, primarily NFC and Bluetooth, as well as direct physical contact, to detect compatible nearby hardware. After registering a connection, the controller could confirm it through localized haptic feedback, an audio cue or sequences from integrated LED lights.
The patent also describes transferring player IDs and account credentials directly between controllers so guest players can join local multiplayer sessions without navigating setup menus. For media sharing, the controller’s wireless link could send screenshots and gameplay video clips from the console to a smartphone, potentially through official companion applications.
NFC has appeared in gaming hardware before, but for gameplay rather than the commerce and utility functions described in Sony’s filing. Nintendo first added NFC readers to the Wii U GamePad in 2012 and later included them in Nintendo Switch Joy-Con and Pro Controllers to support its Amiibo physical figurines. Nintendo’s implementation is restricted to reading and writing gameplay data, not financial transactions, profile syncing or media exports.
Using a gaming peripheral as a financial terminal would bring security and compliance requirements. Commercial contactless payment readers must follow guidelines including the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) to protect the encryption and secure transmission of financial tokens. Standard NFC operates at 13.56 MHz and has an effective range of less than four centimeters, a limit that reduces the likelihood of accidental triggers or unauthorized signal interception.
The diagrams show a controller resembling the PlayStation 5’s DualSense wireless controller, although hardware manufacturers routinely use existing designs in patent illustrations for illustrative purposes. Sony has previously patented speculative concepts that did not enter commercial production, including temperature-shifting gamepads, automated gameplay assistance systems and alternative user interfaces. A separate Sony patent application from 2025 described an artificial intelligence system designed to autonomously identify and deploy software patches across PlayStation systems. Sony has not officially announced plans to integrate NFC capabilities into its current hardware lineup or future console iterations.
