Force feedback extends its alienation to all PS3 controllers
by Ed Stasick 
{ Jan 6th 2007 at 11:30AM }
This is bad. Very bad. As a fanboy community, we've often held out hope that 3rd parties might come to the rescue of the force feedback-less PS3 and provide us with some options to relive our childhood PS2 memories... especially when it comes to things like racing wheels and the next Gran Turismo. But, according to a rumor at GT Planet, the force feedback dream is dead. Totally dead.
And now, via the force feedback racing fanatics at 1UP, Sony has confimed the lack of force feedback with this statement: "All PS3 games are programmed for the SIXAXIS which doesn't have force feedback, therefore the force feedback in the wheels won't be recognized."
Sony then punched 1UP in the face and added, "take that fanboys!" Ok, maybe that's a slight exaggeration, but 1UP did admit that this whole ordeal made them cry.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
BklynKid @ Jan 6th 2007 11:42AM
The joke that is the PS3 just doesn't end.
ZRX @ Jan 6th 2007 12:01PM
This is just another example of pride / arrogance when they lost the Immersion case and passing on the licencing deal.
Jason B. @ Jan 6th 2007 12:06PM
3rd party peripherals will only work on 3rd party games due to the fact that Sony is still trying to push its Sixaxis controller. Meaning that they nor their 2nd party developers are going to be developing games that allow for force feedback or rumble. Games like Namco's Ridge Racer and other 3rd party games can still provide a built-in rumble/force feedback feature for things like the racing wheel if they so wish.
Also of note - Why do fanboys of other consoles troll fanboy sites? People need to get a life and/or learn to contribute something of intelligence.
george @ Jan 6th 2007 12:47PM
Jason B. I agree there are people who just come here and trash systems with nothing to offer on the topic. Its sad really. Anyway this doesn't bother me much if it is in fact true. I never bought a wheel for any of my systems and the force feedback ones are expensive anyway. I dont have the room for a giant wheel and I bet it doesnt matter to most people. I never knew anyone who had a steering wheel for a game system.
Dahk @ Jan 6th 2007 12:47PM
Hrm, this isn't a good sign.
This is just gonna make me not sell my ps2 anymore.
Driving Force Pro fricking ROCKS on GT4. There is NOTHING that compares to it. I've gotten so used to it, that I can't even play racing games on a normal controller. I was playing GT4 on my ps3 hooking up my wheel. But then since force feedback isn't supported even for old games, there's no fun in the game anymore. I can't play rally games, because the wheel doesn't FIGHT me - I can't feel when the car's going to spin out. Which means, I have to bring out my PS2 again =/.
*sigh*
Roofus @ Jan 6th 2007 12:51PM
"All PS3 games are programmed for the SIXAXIS which doesn't have force feedback, therefore the force feedback in the wheels won't be recognized."
Sony makes a true statement here, but they didn't answer the question. What they are saying is that since SIXAXIS controllers don't have rumble, that if rumble is programed into the game, the SIXAXIS controller would not recognize those programming strings and would not respond. Duh...
That doesn't mean if developers started adding those program strings that they wouldn't work in a 3rd party controller.
I say Logitech and whoever else should get some wireless, motion sensor/rumble combo controllers to the market and see if 3rd party developers start taking advantage of it and see if that won't push Sony a little to add it back.
Dahk @ Jan 6th 2007 12:53PM
Actually george, most of my friends have a Driving Force Pro and we've had it for quite a while.
Now that G25 is out, I would absolutely LOVE getting that - just need a little more pocket cash first lol. But yeah, there IS a market for wheels. Sure everything can be done on controller, but there's no fun in it. Force feedback is a great way of having another feedback loop to the user. With the wheel, it tells me how the wheels are aligned, what kind of grip it has, if i'm going to spin out, and how HARD i'm going to have to fight it. Without force feedback, rally racing doesn't exist anymore. You don't feel the rough road, the exciting feeling of drifting and performing opposite locks and FIGHTING the car.
And yes =). So I'm kind of saddened by this in the end lol.
Andrew @ Jan 6th 2007 1:05PM
I really don't see what the big deal is. I find rumble really annoying and always turn it off when I can. It always felt so cheesy and unreal to me.
Crois @ Jan 6th 2007 1:33PM
Some people actually liked rumble. I assume Andrew has never played Rez. The rumble in that game syncs to the beat in the song, offering a really awesome experience. That experience is worthless on a PS3.
bearattack79 @ Jan 6th 2007 3:10PM
Andrew thinks rumble is cheezy and unreal. BUT what does he think about the sux-ass tilt sensor?
Dasgooch @ Jan 6th 2007 4:00PM
I understand that people tend to become fans of one console or another but what I don't understand is people making excuses for cutting features. One of the major reasons to upgrade to a new console is to experiance a new level of graphics and immersion in the game you are playing. If you remove a feature that was in the previous generation how can that be anything but a step back in the experiance we all are paying to get? If you are not a fan of ffb wheels then this doesn't effect you, but to those of us who are this is a major problem.
Jercoh @ Jan 27th 2007 2:22AM
What a rip-off this site is... The poster not only copied the news from another site, it also copied the overall tone of the source. Check this out:
http://ps3.qj.net/No-Force-Feedback-for-GT-on-PS3/pg/49/aid/78377
hey guys, don't you have any ounce of originality in there?you could get sued for this.
seanp @ Jan 7th 2007 6:27AM
How can devellopers implement forcefeedback if the PS3 devkit, more precisely the SIXAXIS/controller driver doesn't offer passing rumble messages to the controller, I don't think game devellopers will appreciate Re-develloping a driver with a rumble feature. In addition, as SONY didn't paye the patent owner (IMMERSION) to use this, those devellopers will have to pay IMMERSION themselves to add rumble to their game ...
Well anyway one thing is clear for me : as a racing game fan, since I tried the Xbox360 ForceFeedback wheel, I can't imagine driving without force feedback, so, no PS3 for me.
Ed @ Jan 7th 2007 11:58AM
I'd be very careful there, Jeroch. You guys aren't the only ones to read 1UP.
poseidon @ Jan 7th 2007 3:15PM
The next GT is going to land with a dull thud in the wake of Forza 2 that has a very nice 1st party wirelless racing wheel and promises great online play and features. One more bullet point to remove from Sony's list: Best Racing Experience.
CK @ Jan 7th 2007 6:57PM
I think you guys should just wait and see. Jeez - talk about over-reacting to gossip dressed up as facts.
I, for one, will be extremely pissed if GT doesn't support FFB on the Logtech wheel, but considering it's a wired USB controller and not a BT device, how can Sony have any say over the hardware interface? Would they really shoot themselves in the foot by screwing up their absolute premier title that single-handedly sells their consoles? I don't think so. This is between Polyphony, Logitech and Immersion anyway.
Sponge @ Jan 9th 2007 8:30AM
what if Sony threatened 3-rd parties that if they even include the option for rumble or force feedback, that they wouldn't be allowed to publish anymore on the PS3? That would kill any last sliver of hope.
CK @ Jan 8th 2007 3:08AM
I don't think Sony will be threatening Polyphony with anything of the sort:
Gran Turismo (10.85 million)
Gran Turismo 2 (9.37 million)
Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec (14.84 million)
Gran Turismo 4 (6.25 million)
Gran Turismo Concept (1.56 million)
Gran Turismo 4 Prologue (1.36 million)
Gran Turismo 4 (8.06 million)
Total: 52.29 million game units sold.
http://www.polyphony.co.jp/english/list.html
Whatever Sony's issues are with Immersion I don't see them telling Polyphony where to get off with such a critical title.
CK @ Jan 8th 2007 1:15PM
Oh whoops - I completely screwed up there somewhere. Well the figures are all on the Polyphony page anyway.
Darren Tilley @ Jan 8th 2007 12:40PM
As I already posted over at Joystiq, this entire comment has been taken out of context and the entire issue is complete bunk. Both Ridge Racer 7 and Need for Speed Carbon support force feedback when using the Driving Force Pro Wheel.
Can we see an update to this unresearched article?
Matias @ Jan 8th 2007 5:46PM
The problem with this comment/article is that it's been proven Need for speed carbon has FF on third party wheels. The PS3 can use PC based wheels via USB and Blu Tooth therefor Immersion can never sue sony if users use multi platform wheels.
Sadly GT:HD had no FF for the same wheel tested with Need for speed carbon.
Rich @ Apr 29th 2007 1:45PM
I just hooked up my Driving Force wheel to the PS3 with GT4 ... man I felt like I was playing an old PC game from the 80's. The wheel felt sooooo loose, no sense of feel for the car. Sure hope Sony gets swallows its pride and brings back force feedback!