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Up close with Sony's PS VR Aim controller (pictures)

This peripheral can be your gun -- any gun -- in a PlayStation VR game.

Sean Hollister
When his parents denied him a Super NES, he got mad. When they traded a prize Sega Genesis for a 2400 baud modem, he got even. Years of Internet shareware, eBay'd possessions and video game testing jobs after that, he joined Engadget. He helped found The Verge, and later served as Gizmodo's reviews editor. When he's not madly testing laptops, apps, virtual reality experiences, and whatever new gadget will supposedly change the world, he likes to kick back with some games, a good Nerf blaster, and a bottle of Tejava.
Sean Hollister
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1 of 9 Sean Hollister/CNET

Sony PlayStation VR Aim Controller (pictures)

Sony's PlayStation VR Aim Controller is a two-handed light gun for virtual reality (VR) games.

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2 of 9 Sean Hollister/CNET

Sony PlayStation VR Aim Controller (pictures)

It may look like a simple grey plastic tube, or maybe a balloon animal, but as soon as you put a PlayStation VR headset on, it becomes whatever weapon you need.

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3 of 9 Sean Hollister/CNET

Sony PlayStation VR Aim Controller (pictures)

It's got all your regular PlayStation controls, too: Buttons, a pair of analog sticks, a directional pad, you name it. One analog stick is at the rear, flanked by four face buttons around the rim.

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4 of 9 Sean Hollister/CNET

Sony PlayStation VR Aim Controller (pictures)

The trigger doesn't have a very long pull, but it feels durable. Above it, on either side (for an ambidextrous control scheme) are a pair of R1 buttons. In Farpoint, the first game for the Aim controller, you use them to load shells into the shotgun.

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5 of 9 Sean Hollister/CNET

Sony PlayStation VR Aim Controller (pictures)

The front grip houses the directional controls, as well as the PS4's Share and Options buttons.

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6 of 9 Sean Hollister/CNET

Sony PlayStation VR Aim Controller (pictures)

Underneath the front grip are the secondary triggers: They fire underbarrel grenade and rocket launchers in Farpoint.

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7 of 9 Sean Hollister/CNET

Sony PlayStation VR Aim Controller (pictures)

At the front is the familiar PlayStation Move controller's bright, colorful rubber ball, so that the PlayStation Camera can track its motions in 3D space. The internal trackers have also been upgraded compared to the PlayStation Move, but we don't know the details.

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8 of 9 Sean Hollister/CNET

Sony PlayStation VR Aim Controller (pictures)

The trigger is actually a translucent plastic. You can see right through.

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9 of 9 Sean Hollister/CNET

Sony PlayStation VR Aim Controller (pictures)

To charge the controller's built-in battery, there's a standard micro-USB charge port on the bottom. Not pictured is a groove to attach a lanyard if you want to strap it to your wrist.

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