Dualshock 4 PS4 colorful
You can connect up to four controllers to a PS4 at once.
Sony

  • It can be hard to tell how many controllers can connect to a PS4 at a glance, since you can connect controllers wirelessly.
  • While the PS4 can charge two controllers at once, it can connect up to four controllers wirelessly.
  • This is less than its predecessor, the PS3, and also less than its competitors, the Xbox One and Nintendo Switch, which both support up to eight controllers at once.
  • Visit Business Insider’s Tech Reference library for more stories.

If you have four, six, eight, or twenty friends over, and only one PS4, how many controller rotations will you need for everyone to get a turn?

Even if it sounds like a ridiculous math problem, the truth is that local multiplayer games are as popular as ever. And that means that the more people you have over to play, the more controllers you’ll need to make sure that everyone gets in on the action.

Unfortunately, however, if you’re in the mood for a massive gaming party, the PlayStation 4 might not be what you’re looking for.

How many controllers the PS4 can connect with

The PS4 officially supports up to four controllers wirelessly at the same time, for split screen and simultaneous play. You can only charge two controllers at once, however.

This figure is down from the PS3, which could officially support up to seven controllers wirelessly at the same time - though it would be difficult to find a game that would be able to make use of all of them. The PS4 is also not backwards compatible with PS3 controllers by default.

If being able to play with more than four people at once is a major selling point for you, then the Xbox One supports up to eight controllers at once. 

The Nintendo Switch also allows for eight controllers to be connected at once, and allows for backwards compatibility with older controllers, such as the GameCube's.

How to connect controllers to a PS4

 

To connect multiple controllers to the PS4, first pair the controllers with your PS4 by plugging it in with a USB cable. 

Once it's paired, press the PS logo in the center of the controllers while the console is powered on. The controllers will be assigned a number, one to four, in the order the PS button was pressed.

PS4 controller PS button
The PS button is located in the middle of the controller.
Amazon

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