Touch Your Smartphone to the Controller to Purchase Games? Sony's Patent Envisions a "No Input" Future

Sitting on the sofa, you choose a game and decide to buy it, only to be greeted by a screen asking for your card information. You painstakingly select each character with the D-pad or joystick, and if you make a mistake, you have to go back and re-enter it. Your eagerness to play is rising, but the process is holding you back.

This scenario might be shortened by simply bringing your smartphone close to the controller.

On September 23, 2026, Pocket-lint introduced a patent application from Sony titled "Video game controller-driven information transfer." The concept involves transferring information between devices like smartphones and game consoles via the controller.

However, this is not an announcement of a new product release. It's not a feature you can use by touching your smartphone to the current controllers. It's still uncertain which models will feature this, when, and in what form. With that in mind, the intriguing aspect of this concept is not just the appearance of a payment terminal in your living room, but the potential to reduce tedious operations before and after gaming.

What is the Mechanism?—The Controller as an Information Relay

The central idea is to transfer payment-related information from the smartphone to the game console via the controller.

The patent document outlines a process where nearby devices are detected, signals and responses are exchanged, and then payment method information is transferred. NFC and Bluetooth are mentioned as methods for proximity detection.

In simpler terms for users, it's a system that makes information handled on your smartphone easier to use in front of the TV.

It's important to note that "transferring information" and "confirming purchase" are separate stages. It doesn't mean that money is automatically deducted the moment you touch the device. The actual usability and safety will depend on which screen handles identity and purchase confirmations.

Also, even if the experience might remind some of Apple Wallet or Google Wallet, it should not be taken as an official announcement of compatibility with those services.

Convenient Scenario 1: No Need to Enter Card Numbers on the TV Screen

The most straightforward application is for purchasing games or additional content.

For example, someone buying something on a game console for the first time might want to use their usual smartphone payment method. If the concept is properly implemented, it could reduce the burden of re-entering the same information on the game console.

The purchasing flow could be imagined as follows:

1. Select the desired game or additional content on the TV screen.

2. Bring the compatible smartphone close to the controller.

3. Perform necessary identity verification and confirm the product and amount.

4. After completing the payment, return to downloading or playing the game.

This is not an announced operation procedure but an example of how the concept could be applied in daily life.

The greatest benefit would be for those who struggle with text input or when setting up a new payment method. Conversely, for those who can already easily purchase with a registered payment method, the added step of taking out their smartphone each time might feel cumbersome.

Rather than "faster for everyone," it's more about "making situations where re-entry is needed easier," which clarifies the convenience.

Convenient Scenario 2: Easier Use of Your Account at a Friend's House

Another use case mentioned in the original article is the transfer of account information.

When playing at a friend's house, it would be convenient if the operations to log into your account and adjust to your usual settings could be shortened. If you could connect to your account with a touch, it would reduce the "preparation before starting to play."

However, making login easier does not equate to being able to use your games or additional content anywhere without restrictions. Verification of usage rights, software installation, and save data synchronization remain separate issues.

Bringing your smartphone close once won't instantly transfer large game files. The expectation is to first shorten the steps to connect to personal information.

Whether you leave payment information on a borrowed game console or can easily log out when leaving, making these post-use steps clearer would increase the value of using it outside the home.

Convenient Scenario 3: Could It Expand to Movie and Video Service Procedures?

Pocket-lint sees potential in applying this to payments for digital videos and services beyond games, and even to TV remotes.

For instance, if you could complete the viewing fee procedure at hand after choosing a movie with your family, it would shorten the interruption before enjoying the work.

However, this is a discussion of future applications. There are no confirmed plans for integration with TVs or video streaming services, nor confirmed brands that will support it. Each service would need to enable this transfer method.

On Social Media, "Easier Input" and "Don't Rush Payments" Coexist

On the overseas forum Reddit, there is both anticipation and caution regarding this concept. The following summarizes the gist of individual posts observed, not representing the overall opinion or approval ratio of users.

In a related thread on r/DIY_Geeks, some preferred using a smartphone wallet over entering card information via the controller. On the other hand, there were concerns about making impulse purchases of additional content easier and worries about children making purchases.

In related comments on r/Games, some found it convenient to avoid using an on-screen keyboard but were not willing to buy a new controller just for that feature.

These reactions reflect the challenges of the product. Even if a new feature is convenient, the evaluation changes if the price goes up. Whether it's a feature used daily or only occasionally also affects how much one is willing to pay.

It should be noted that the safety of the wallet that posters expect and the price increase they fear are not confirmed as part of the product specifications. It's important to distinguish between social media reactions and the actual announced content.

In Japan, There's a Precedent with Wii U's "Touch to Pay"

Before considering this as a completely new way of buying, there's an example worth remembering.

Nintendo's Wii U allowed the use of transportation e-money like Suica by touching it to the GamePad for payments in the Nintendo eShop in Japan. This usage is also introduced on Nintendo's official page. The handling of transportation e-money ended on January 18, 2022.

Reader comments on Pocket-lint also pointed out this precedent with Nintendo devices.

In other words, the experience of "paying by touching a gaming device" has a history. What needs to be considered now is how far this experience can be expanded by linking with smartphone information and accounts.

For Japanese readers, it's easy to imagine replacing the touch at a ticket gate or register with operations in front of the TV. However, it hasn't been decided that Suica or similar will be usable with this concept.

What We Really Want is a System That Reduces Hassle Without Skipping Confirmation

If payments are to be made easier, what is being purchased, for how much, and under whose account should be made even clearer.

In a living room used by the family, there could be situations where a parent's smartphone and a child's gaming account are nearby. If operations for confirming the user's intent or purchase restrictions are unclear, convenience won't lead to peace of mind.

These are not features confirmed for adoption but design points to focus on if the product is commercialized. While reducing repetitive information input, the final decision on payments should remain in the user's hands. This balance will determine whether the feature becomes one users want to continue using.

The original article mentions next-generation PlayStation and the year 2028, but this is speculation based on rumors and not the planned provision of the current feature.

What emerges from this patent application is the possibility that controllers may not only move characters within games but also play a role in connecting procedures between smartphones and TVs.

If it leads to an experience where you don't stumble over inputs when you want to play, don't spend time preparing at a friend's house, and can calmly decide whether to spend money, then a small "touch" could significantly reduce the hassle in the living room.

Source URL

1. Pocket-lint: Introducing concepts of payment and account linkage via controllers, and potential applications to TVs.
   https://www.pocket-lint.com/tap-to-pay-compatibility-video-game-controller/

2. Patsnap: Page listing Sony's published patent document "Video game controller-driven information transfer" (US20260273403A1). Confirming the flow of proximity detection, signal and response, and payment method information relay.
   https://eureka.patsnap.com/patent/US20260273403A1

3. Reddit・r/DIY_Geeks: Individual reactions such as expectations for smartphone wallet use, concerns about impulse purchases, and children's spending. The poster's claims about safety are not treated as product specifications.
   https://www.reddit.com/r/DIY_Geeks/comments/1wml6mo/sony_patent_would_let_a_playstation_controller/

4. Reddit・r/Games: Evaluation of omitting text input and doubts about the value of purchasing a new controller. The original post is displayed as deleted, but related comments obtained through search are referenced.
   https://www.reddit.com/r/Games/comments/1wob9ea/removed/

5. Nintendo・Wii U Official Page: Explanation of the feature to pay by touching transportation e-money to the GamePad.
   https://www.nintendo.co.jp/hardware/wiiu/index.html

6. Nintendo Support: Notice of the end of handling credit cards and transportation e-money on the Nintendo 3DS series and Wii U on January 18, 2022.
   https://support.nintendo.com/jp/information/2021/0720.html

*Composed based on articles and public information available as of September 24, 2026. Images express the concept and are not photos of announced products.