Sony adds native support for DualShock 3 on Xperia Android devices

Sony might just have a new contender in the microconsole race.

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The multimedia conglomerate announced today that it has added support for the PlayStation 3 DualShock 3 controllers in its line of Xperia Android smartphones. This means gamers can use the popular game pad to navigate menus and — more importantly — play games.

Xperia owners can even use the Xperia’s HDMI support to connect the devices to a television for a big-screen gaming experience comparable to Ouya. Sony has a PlayStation Mobile store with a number of classic PlayStation games that work on phones with physical controls. Additionally, games like Rockstar’s Grand Theft Auto III (which was originally designed around the DualShock) in the Google Play market support physical controls.

Check out the DualShock 3 on Xperia in action below:

Previously, gamers could use the PlayStation 3 controller on their Android devices with the use of third-party software that connected the joystick via Bluetooth. That solution only worked in certain situations and isn’t ideal.

With Sony adding native support and an easy setup process (which is accessible through the settings panel), gamers that are thoroughly invested in the Sony ecosystem may now have more of a reason to start downloading titles from the PlayStation Mobile store. Especially customers that dislike onscreen controls.