Sony confirms the return of force feedback with DualShock3

With the Tokyo Game Show kicking off in earnest today, rumours concerning the much-talked about reappearance of force feedback rumble technology in Sony’s PlayStation videogame controllers have finally settled into the realms of fact thanks to confirmation offered up by president and chief operating officer of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc., Kaz Hirai. epa00858002 Sony has this week confirmed at the Tokyo Game Show that much-missed force feedback technology is to be introduced into its future PlayStation 3 videogame console controllers. EPA/EVERETT KENNEDY BROWN

epa00858002 Sony has this week confirmed at the Tokyo Game Show that much-missed force feedback technology is to be introduced into its future PlayStation 3 videogame console controllers. EPA/EVERETT KENNEDY BROWNRumours shifted into overdrive yesterday when a report posted by gaming magazine CVG revealed that its staff had stumbled upon a fully rumble-equipped PlayStation 3 SIXAXIS controller during an event hosted by Electronic Arts for its explosive street racing title Burnout Paradise. The Net was subsequently set alight with related chatter as to whether Sony would officially confirm the return of its DualShock vibration mechanic, missing following a legal battle with the technology’s creator Immersion. And they didn’t have long to wait, as Kaz Hirai duly obliged by taking to the stage in Tokyo during his keynote in order to put a sizeable smile back on the faces of PlayStation 3 owners everywhere.Initially set to roll out in Japan this coming November as a separately sold accessory, the new DualShock3 PlayStation 3 videogame controller with incorporated rumble feature brings back a gameplay facet long missed by PS3 fans. Following DualShock’s initial removal from Sony’s controllers, the Japanese consumer electronics giant attempted to fill the rumble void with its innovative motion-sensing SIXAXIS component, to a mixed degree of reception. While on-screen action are prompted by physical tilts and turns on the game pad itself, many developers and consumers have been left a little cold to its effects without the coupling of force feedback.Thankfully that marrying of Sony’s two core controller aspects has now taken place, with the "high-precision, high response motion sensitive six-axis sensing control," left intact within the DualShock 3 Wireless Controller to further immerse users into the gameplay experience. International market introduction for the new rumble controller is expected to see it arrive in both North America and Europe in the spring of 2008.As an additional plus concerning missed opportunities to enjoy DualShock throughout the PlayStation 3’s existing catalogue of software releases, Sony has also confirmed that a download upgrade to will see many of them compatible with controller rumble. Some of the more high-profile titles that will benefit include: Resistance: Fall of Man, Heavenly Sword, Motorstorm, Warhawk, and Folklore. Future games to incorporate DualShock rumble include the likes of Resident Evil 5, Dark Sector, Burnout Paradise, Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune, and Ratchet & Clank: Future Tools of Destruction.