The PlayStation 4 has unfortunately been lagging a bit behind the Xbox One in terms of high-end third party gaming controllers. Even gaming peripheral company Razer has yet to enter the ring, instead preferring to stay on the Microsoft side of things. Thankfully, Scuf Gaming has us covered with the newly announced Scuf Vantage controller for the PS4.

Now available for pre-order, the Scuf Vantage is the very first Sony-licensed third-party controller for the PlayStation 4, though it doesn’t come cheap. Prices start at $170, with the wireless Bluetooth version of it starting at $200. Additional customization options – faceplate colors, differently shaped thumbsticks, etc – bump the price up by another $30. That said, almost everything about the controller is customizable. Everything from the anti-friction rings to the thumbsticks can be colored differently, so there’s a color scheme for everyone here.

In addition to the more aesthetic options, the Vantage controller also comes with programmable buttons, which can serve as a second or even third of the same controller function. The four paddles on the back of the controller serve as blank templates for said button customizations, so a player’s thumbs needn’t leave the thumbsticks to press buttons. The Vantage controller also features Scuf’s new “sax buttons,” side buttons that reside right below the shoulder buttons on each side of the controller. They are also, of course, programmable. The touchbar located at the bottom of the controller is dedicated towards adjusting the sound. Players can use it to adjust master volume, in-game audio, or even mute chat.

It is nice to see Scuf Gaming giving the PS4 some much-needed love in the elite-style controller department. The gaming peripheral company seems to have taken all the knowledge distilled from their work on the official Xbox Elite controller – through tech licensing – and applied it to the Vantage controller, with some additional bells and whistles.

For those looking to pre-order the Scuf Vantage wireless controller, they can do so through the official website and through GameStop.

So, thoughts on the Scuf Vantage controller for the PS4? Plan on picking one up? Let us know in the comments section below, and as always, stay tuned to Don’t Feed the Gamers for all the latest gaming and entertainment news! Don’t forget to follow DFTG on Twitter for our 24/7 news feed!