Force feedback comes to the PS3

by Ed Stasick { Jan 31st 2007 at 10:00PM }

We've always been pretty sure that someone, somewhere would bring force feedback to the PS3. Today, the first 3rd party vendor has stepped up to the plate vacated by Sony. Splitfish, the developer of the new tech, calls it the Sensor FX "tactile response' system. The new system uses no moving parts to produce meaningful sensory feedback.

"A broad range of intensity and sensation compliment the ability to derive feedback sensations from isolated areas on the controller, one side or the other, movement from front to back or all areas at the same time. As an example, a gamer playing a race game can feel variations in pulse, strength and location allowing them to feel intensity differences between a smooth guardrail swipe and a full frontal slam into a wall."

If you have any idea what that meant, please let us know. Other interesting notes are that the Sensor FX can function either as an attachment to the SIXAXIS or be embedded in a third-party version of the controller and that the technology has two modes: one for games with existing force feedback and one for those who do not.

We're looking forward to seeing how this pans out. Don't expect to see these on the shelves anytime soon, though. Splitfish appears to be looking to license the rights to use Sensor FX to other manufacturers. Psst, SplitFish, call Sony!

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Colin @ Jan 31st 2007 10:28PM

Hey Ed,
Sony already poo-pooed this:

http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3156855

"Speaking to 1UP on the SplitFish's rumble technology, Sony Computer Entertainment America said the following: "We have had no contact with this company and continue to have no plans to include FF [force feedback] in SIXAXIS."

Why do they hate us so much? Come on Sony, show some love. I'm not even a big FF guy, but it's a nice thing to have (especially in certain types of games).

Sigh...

-Colin

Purist @ Jan 31st 2007 11:16PM

Yeah they've already said no to Splitfish. C'mon guys get with the program.

SKI @ Jan 31st 2007 11:27PM

http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/31/sony-not-ready-to-rumble-with-splitfish/

Roofus @ Jan 31st 2007 11:44PM

I remember a couple weeks ago when Sony said that since the rumble feature was not supported by them that game makers wouldn't likely put the feature in the games. So it won't matter if you have a controller with the rumble feature if the game isn't programmed to send commands to rumble to the controller.

Andir2.0 @ Feb 1st 2007 12:08AM

In case you guys missed the common trand here, Company A wants to make money. They publish something saying they can help Company B (the one with the deep pockets) with a product that they own a patent to. They never contact Company B, but post the results to every blog site they can to drum up support and try to force Company B to cave thinking there is tremendous outcries for Company A's product. It's a form of viral marketing, and your all playing right along. If they were serious, and looking to do it for the gamer, they would have contacted Sony direct and pitched the idea, some figures and bartered a deal before you even heard about the thing. If they do this, they can now try to barter more money out of the bigger company... This has nothing to do with "the player" and everything to do with "the company".