Sony brings rumble to PS3 controller

But console's virtual 'Home' has been delayed

Ian Williams, vnunet.com 21 Sep 2007

Sony has unveiled a DualShock 3 wireless controller for its PlayStation 3 console, which will incorporate the rumble feature used in the PS2 controller.

The company claimed to have resolved the difficulty of combining the new controller with the tilt sensor, which had prevented it from including the vibration feature.

Kazuo Hirai, the new chief executive of Sony Computer Entertainment, said at the Tokyo Game Show: "We have been able to overcome this difficulty."

However, some observers believe that the lack of a rumble feature was down to Sony's being sued for patent infringement by Immersion.

The accusations were originally made in 2002 and, after a lengthy legal battle, a US district court ordered Sony to pay Immersion $90m in March 2006.

It was not until March 2007 that the companies finally agreed to a settlement, paving the way for Sony to include the technology in its SixAxis controller for the PlayStation 3.

The new DualShock controller will be released in Japan in November and will reach the US and Europe in Spring 2008.

Hirai also announced that the launch of the console's Home virtual networking world had been delayed.

"We wanted to wait until we could offer what would be totally satisfying for consumers," he said.

Originally pegged for release at the end of this year, Sony now expects to roll out Home in Spring 2008.

The 3D online user community will enable users to create an avatar and explore a real-time virtual world as well as offer a central place to meet other gamers and play games online.

Sony has already stated that there will be harsh penalties for those users who abuse the system.

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