“Stop getting Bond wrong!” - Does the design of the 007: First Light PS5 controller look off to you?
A limited edition DualSense PS5 controller for 007: First Light has drawn criticism for its design execution. The golden controller, priced at £75/€85/$85 and available for pre-order from April 17th, features the game’s 007 logo prominently but appears to miss a crucial James Bond motif: the iconic gun barrel rifling.
The main point of contention is how the controller interprets the barrel rifling—the distinctive spiral pattern found inside gun barrels that has become one of the most recognizable elements of James Bond imagery. Rather than capturing this iconic swirl, the limited edition controller instead features straight lines emanating from the center, which critics argue fails to properly evoke the classic Bond aesthetic.
This design choice has sparked discussion about whether the partnership between the game’s publisher and hardware manufacturer missed an opportunity to incorporate one of the franchise’s most defining visual elements. The barrel rifling holds particular significance in Bond lore, frequently referenced in the franchise’s iconic opening gun barrel sequences seen in films.
While the golden color scheme appropriately matches the James Bond franchise’s visual identity and the 007 logo placement is prominent, the execution of what should be a signature design detail appears to have disappointed fans. The criticism raises broader questions about licensed hardware design: when creating special edition controllers for major franchises, how important is it to authentically capture the iconic details that fans immediately recognize?