With only a few days left before the Las Vegas Convention Center West Hall opens its doors for this year’s Evolution Championship Series, the fighting game community (FGC) has plenty of awesome stuff to be excited about. Apart from the cool merchandise, special guests, surprise announcements, and thrilling matches, Sony’s FlexStrike will also be on display.
Gamers first caught a glimpse of this new first-party accessory during Sony’s June 2025 State of Play. At the time, it was internally dubbed Project Defiant. The sleek design with a black/white motif matches that of the PlayStation 5 series. So far, the manufacturer is billing the FlexStrike as a wireless fight stick, which is raising some eyebrows.
Among the factors that can greatly boost your odds for victory are superior eye-hand coordination and premium hardware. Of course, extensive knowledge about the game, characters, and strategies is likewise a huge advantage. Input latency is the scourge of every professional player, which is why most prefer wired gamepads or arcade sticks.
Thankfully, you can directly hook up the FlexStrike to your PlayStation 5/5 Pro or PC via the included USB-C cable. However, for the select few who prefer a cord-free experience with the same level of responsiveness, the device does so via PlayStation Link technology. It comes with a PS Link USB adapter in the box.
The case looks sleek and is ergonomic with angled surfaces. A non-slip base ensures it stays in place on the table or on your lap. Depending on the user’s preference, the joystick restrictor gates are swappable between square, circle, and octagon. Another awesome bonus is a sling bag to store/carry the FlexStrike and its accessories.
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Images courtesy of Sony
