PlayStation is treating us to a super month or so of limited-edition hardware and restocks, and the latest is the imminent Astro Bot Joyful Dualsense controller that goes up for pre-order tomorrow.
The original Limited Edition Astro Bot DualSense controller that launched last year was one of the most popular ones released to date, and stock absolutely flew off the digital shelves when pre-orders began - and when any other stock appeared.
The Joyful variant is a, well, joyous little variation upon the theme, and offers a similar robot-y aesthetic as well as different-shaped eyes on the touchpad, which are very cheery indeed.
Given the baseline interest in its predecessor, I suspect Astro Bot Joyful controller pre-order interest to be very hot indeed when stock drops at 10am (local time) on September 12 (tomorrow). As a result, I am here to guide you through the pre-order phase, as well as provide all the best info and links you need to find your new controller simply and easily - and fast.
And with that, let's get into it: below you'll find an overview of the pad, but also a host of quick links and expanded retailer info ahead of pre-orders beginning tomorrow - these links are the best ones for now, but I'll update them as soon as I spot anything, anywhere.
Astro Bot Joyful controller pre-orders: quick links
UK pre-order links (prices tbc)
- Astro Bot Joyful Dualsense Controller: £74.99 at PS Direct
- Astro Bot Joyful Dualsense Controller: £74.99 at Amazon
- Astro Bot Joyful Dualsense Controller: £74.99 at Very
- Astro Bot Joyful Dualsense Controller: £74.99 at ShopTo
- Astro Bot Joyful Dualsense Controller: £74.99 at The Game Collection
- Astro Bot Joyful Dualsense Controller: £74.99 at Argos
US pre-order links (prices tbc)
- Astro Bot Joyful Dualsense Controller: $84.99 at PS Direct
- Astro Bot Joyful Dualsense Controller: $84.99 at Amazon
- Astro Bot Joyful Dualsense Controller: $84.88 at Walmart
- Astro Bot Joyful Dualsense Controller: $84.99 at Best Buy
- Astro Bot Joyful Dualsense Controller: $84.99 at Target
- Astro Bot Joyful Dualsense Controller: $84.99 at GameStop
Astro Bot Joyful controller: cut to the chase
- Price: tbc, but likely $84.99 / £74.99 to be in line with other limited edition pads
- Pre-order date: September 12, 2025 (10am local time)
- Release date: October 30, 2025
- Design: Sporting a similar design to the original Astro Bot DualSense, this controller features a gloriously cute robot aesthetic in the super blue and white colorway of the PlayStation platforming champion, and has a brand-new eye design on the touchpad
Astro Bot Joyful controller complete UK pre-orders
Astro Bot Joyful controller complete US pre-orders
I've been covering games and gaming hardware for nearly a decade, and that includes the torrid stock launches and barren times of 2020 and 2021, when trying to get a new graphics card, Xbox, or PlayStation was incredibly hard.. As a result, I know a thing or two about pre-ordering in-demand items and what a high-profile pre-order day can bring with it. I'm also a PlayStation fanatic of about 30 years, a mid-tier PS collector of sorts, and someone with a growing collection of wonderful limited edition DualSense controllers.
Why release a new variant now?
This is a good question that I've been wrestling with, too.
The only broadly relevant point or factor I can think of is that we are now just over a year from Astro Bot's PS5 release on September 6, 2024, and the initial announcement of the Joyful edition was even closer to that anniversary (September 5).
Could it be a broad anniversary-timed thing? Maybe, though it's also dangerously close to the Ghost of Yotei PS5 console pre-orders and Ghost of Yotei controller pre-orders that started recently, too.
Curious, but I'll always take another limited edition DualSense release, whenever it comes.
Where will it be available?
Luckily, this isn't locked to PlayStation Direct as an exclusive - but that online shop is still likely to be the best bet for stock, availability, and timeliness of pre-orders starting.
Here are the best links to PlayStation Direct's DualSense pages in both the US and UK, which is where the controller is going to pop up at 10am local time tomorrow!
Cut to the chase - key details
While we haven't got all the details about this particular controller yet - chief among them, the price tag.
We know that pre-orders begin tomorrow at 10am local time at PlayStation Direct and other participating retailers. We also know that it comes out on October 12. Nice
Now, we don't know how much it costs exactly, but I'd wager it's the same as other limited edition controllers and will be $84.99 or £74.99.
What actually is the Astro Bot Joyful Limited Edition DualSense?
Taking me a little by surprise with an announcement - only on social media - Sony and PlayStation revealed the Astro Bot Joyful DualSense rather out of the blue this week.
It's a wonderfully cheerful controller in the design of PlayStation's new leading mascot, and features joyous little eyes on the touchpad to make it stand out.
In reality, it's not that different from the original Astro Bot controller design. However, that controller was immensely popular and sold out very quickly. So there was always cause from that perspective for Sony to either go for more stock or to create something like this: another Astro Bot Dualsense.
Hello!
Hi there, and welcome to my live coverage of the imminent Astro Bot Joyful DualSense controller pre-orders that are kicking off tomorrow!
I'm getting in position early with this page, so you guys have a complete and single resource when the time comes, complete with information and the best early links to keep to hand.
Welcome, and let's get into everything Joyful...