New remote turns PS4 in to an all-round media powerhouse

The PlayStation 4 is the go-to place for games in millions of homes and it will now become the media centre you've been pining after.

That's because Sony has finally debuted the Universal Media Remote for the console that means you won't be wasting the Li-ion batteries on your precious video games controllers for much longer.

The remote, clearly geared towards movie and box set fans, looks exactly the same as a regular DVD player or TV remote except that it features the D-pad and buttons that you'd usually find on the PS4 controllers.

It connects up to the PS4 via Bluetooth and the fun doesn't end there. The technology on board allows you to control up to three additional devices, which can be anything from TVs and Sky set-top boxes, to DVD players and audio systems.

From launch it will work with a vast range of different apps including Netflix, YouTube, Twitch, PlayStation Video, the on-board Blu-ray player, Crunchyroll and a range of other apps only available in the US.

There's currently no definitive release date for the remote yet Sony has already confirmed it will be priced at $29.99 (£19.55) with users in the US, Mexico and Canada able to put in an order for one later this month.