We have previously learned that the PS5 will have a globally unified layout where the X button will be used to confirm selections. This will also apply even in Japan, a country where the players are used to the rightmost button to confirm things, such as the A button on Nintendo consoles and the O button on prior PlayStation consoles.
Inside Games held a poll asking Japanese players whether they have any objection to this unified layout. There were three options offered in the poll:
- I agree. It’s even better to unify it.
- I have no problem with it, as long as I can change it with a local setting.
- I disagree. I want to confirm with the O button.
After the poll closed with 1,047 votes counted, Inside Games found out that only 254 voters (24.3%) are in favor of the unified button layout. 333 votes (31.8%) went to the middle compromise option, while there are 458 voters (43.7%) that opposed it and prefer the O button confirmation.
Many of the users who voted for supporting the unified layout have been familiar with Western games and thus can quickly adapt to confirming with the X button. Even so, some of them are still concerned that this may not be universally applied to PS4 games that can be played with backwards compatibility.
Most of those who chose the middle option generally support the notion of a worldwide unified standard. But while many of them are not as quick to adapt as the supporters, some of them also mentioned various other caveats. A user said that it would be meaningless if Nintendo doesn’t follow suit, while another suggests a new set of button symbols that can be universally used by every platform.
However, SIE mentioned in another interview with ITMedia NetLab that the confirm button placement cannot be changed from the user’s side. If things stay as-is by the console’s launch, it will certainly disappoint even those who picked the middle option and result in a clear majority for opposing the PS5’s X button confirm layout in Japan.
The PlayStation 5 is set to release first in Japan, South Korea, the United States, Canada, Mexico, Australia, and New Zealand on November 12, 2020. The rest of the world will follow suit the week after on November 19, 2020.
