Yet Another Unofficial PS5 Faceplate Brand Is on the Scene

dbrand, which makes skins, screens, and cases for a variety of devices, has joined in with the Sony-baiting and released its own unofficial PS5 faceplate.

dbrand Releases Darkplates

If you're seeking to customize your PS5, then dbrand is the latest company to offer unofficial third-party faceplates for the new-gen console. They're calling them Darkplates, because they're black faceplates.

You can check the plates out over on the dbrand store, where you can buy the matte black faceplates for $49.00 (at the time of writing).

You can also pick up what dbrand is calling a "middle skin", which is a vinyl sticker that goes over the high-luster, black, central panel on the PS5. This costs an extra $11.95 and is available in a range of colors and designs.

You'll also notice it boasts about its faceplate texture. This is similar to the tiny PlayStation symbols you'll find on the DualSense, other official PS5 accessories, and the first-party faceplates that come attached to the console when you buy it. Similar, but are they as impressive?

Will dbrand Last?

You've no doubt seen our faceplategate coverage regarding CMP Shells, which made quite the self-triumphant return post Sony ban. Some might say its return was arrogant, as it declared its new faceplates legally untouchable. We'll see.

Related: Customize Your DualSense Controller With These Custom Faceplates

This sort of makes you wonder why dbrand has even bothered. Sony categorically did not take kindly to CMP Shells, first because its former brand name was too similar to PlayStation (PlateStation).

Then, Sony took issue because it decided the faceplates were part of the design of the console, and therefore copying them was an infringement on intellectual property. Cue the banging of the ban gavel. CMP Shells ended production, canceling all orders before re-emerging in its new form.

dbrand is already on its fourth wave of potentially unfulfilled customers pre-sales, so you must be quick if you want to grab one of the custom faceplates. Whether the plates will actually reach production is another matter. Sony could well bring the gavel down again.

Should You Buy a dbrand Faceplate?

As with the CMP Shells saga, we advise anyone who is interested in customizing their PS5 faceplates to exercise caution. These are third-party products, and so you have no way to confirm their quality other than what the brand tells you.

Also, given Sony's insistence that PlateStation (now CMP Shells) had to cease production, it won't come as a surprise if it doesn't speed-dial its lawyers to get on dbrand's case as well.

In short, be careful if you want to customize your faceplates. CMP Shells refunded all of its customers the first time around. But that doesn't mean another brand will.

Do You Really Need to Customize Your PS5?

If you aren't happy with the appearance of your PS5, you can always modify it in other (significantly less expensive) ways. You can always add a vinyl skin to the console if you want it to look different.

The PS5 only launched in November 2020. Perhaps try playing a few games on it before you feel the irresistible urge to change the cosmetic appearance of your console.

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