Sixaxis to gain rumble capabilities sometime this year

by Nick Doerr { May 24th 2007 at 10:00PM }

The latest issue of PlayStation Magazine, according to a member over at the GameFAQs forum, the instigation of a rumbling Sixaxis may come sooner than expected. Ever since the lawsuit and all the hubbub with Immersion simmered down, everybody has been waiting for an announcement about rumble's "last-gen" technology making a comeback.

It seems the wait will not be as long as we expected. Even though Sony's talking heads dodge the question like its a flaming shuriken, a rumble-axis has been in the works for a bit and will be announced at the upcoming E3 event, followed by the announcement that a release will be scheduled for the redesigned controller for mid-November. Tilting and rumbling? We can't wait. We wonder, though -- will older PS3 games be able to update their software to include rumble technology?

[via Joystiq]

Tags: Immersion, PlayStation 3, Playstation3, PS3, rumble, Sixaxis, Sony

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

humpty @ May 24th 2007 10:03PM

PS1/2 rumble in fw1.7 was the start... its was only a matter of time.

massive_98 @ May 24th 2007 10:21PM

You guys can have your 4 hours of battery life with rumble. Me I'm sticking with 20 hours of happy fingers.

John @ May 24th 2007 10:23PM

I have never cared about rumble, except for one game: GT4. The rumble lets you know where your tires are.

Other than that, I turn it off.

And strangely, when I played GT:HD, I didn't even notice that rumble was absent. I was telling everyone about the "feel" of the game-- not noticing that it didn't even have rumble.

When it's done well, it's pretty cool. But playing GOW with rumble? Seemed ridiculous.

Just me. I don't care about rumble. But I AM glad that Sony is addressing this issue, because a LOT of people DO care.

Sony is listening, just like Nintendo had to start listening, after they released a cartridge-based system when everyone else was using CD's.

massive_98 @ May 24th 2007 10:54PM

I didn't even notice rumble was gone for the first couple of months playing my PS3. Too busy with R:FOM

Magma @ May 24th 2007 10:56PM

Can we trade in our old controllers for new ones? ; ;

Matt B @ May 24th 2007 10:58PM

Be carefull....
Talk of rumble on PS3 brings about questions and declaration of religious belief.

thatpspkid @ May 24th 2007 11:02PM

yeah, for some games just the sound is enough to immerse you in them. and if you have s surround sound system or a big sub woofer, then that thing is way better than rumbling. I still want it though.

KILLU @ May 24th 2007 11:10PM

well ima tell you, now im like worried cause lets say, gtaIV comes out, will the rumble still function with it, or like somekind of update or something, i mean im only gonna get the ps3 because of gta and home and resistance and well cause its the ps3, i like both systems, there great i mean, imagine if both companies worked together on one console or like make a console togethere how f ing insane would dat be, imean wow i didnt even think of dat, too bad it wont happen in 10 years, well im still worried dat gta wont have it cause i really like it in the ps2 gta's it was preety awsome. viva la ps3

vizunary @ May 24th 2007 11:20PM

I really hope it's the new tech that Immersion announced, it looks really cool.

http://www.immersion.com/gaming/video_pc/next-gen/index.php

Stef Geiger @ May 24th 2007 11:23PM

KILLU: Oh no! Someone's stolen all the punctuation keys from your keyboard! You can't post another message till you get them back!

Stef Geiger @ May 24th 2007 11:24PM

I think it's safe to say that it will be the new tech. First, if it isn't implemented in the PS3, where WILL it be used? 2. Sony will definitely want to best Microsoft's and Nintendo's efforts. Personally, I was blown away at the strength of the rumble on the 360. Also, it really goes in line with their whole "rumble is last-gen", because they'll be able to say "This rumble is cutting edge."

Urza @ May 24th 2007 11:47PM

And sounding like fools while they do it, just like everything else they've said about PS3 Stef.

Did you know both the Xbox and 360 controller circuit boards have the inputs for motion capture in them but microsoft just never implemented the chip technology in the controller to make it a reality.

I don't need 6 axis to enjoy my games, just like some people don't need rumble to enjoy theirs.

Personally, I left my PS2 connected for God of War and Tomb Raider Anniversary because I prefer rumble.

I hope the new controller is priced reasonably.

P @ May 24th 2007 11:53PM

@ #7

"rumble is quite essential to gaming experience. it's been what separates consoles from Pc."
Really? And theres me thinking my $300USD Logi G25 FFB wheel was about as good as it got for sub-$500 prices, what we REALLY needed was a Rumbling feeling on our PC simulators...

You do realise that PC's have had Force Feedback for a good 10-15 years, dare i utter its name, but M$ were one of the first with mass produced FFB Joysticks, that would have been the early 90's, and the PS3 having it is what seperates the two?

Rumble is a watered down version of what has been available to the PC market for over a decade, its what keeps consoles targeted for the average gamer.

Joey_Numbers @ May 25th 2007 12:57AM

Rumble+SixaxiS=Perfect controller.

Liquidsnakez @ May 25th 2007 2:26AM

i hope they make that boomerang controller.. itll be sweet azz with rumble!!

Stellarpimp @ May 25th 2007 5:16AM

Thank you #14. I was about to jump all over that.

As for the rumble...it is nothing special to me. I've always turned it off. Now I just hope the redesign of the control makes it feel even more comfortable in the hands. That is what I'm excited about...but it makes me wonder if its the boomerang?!

nr @ May 25th 2007 5:16AM

Rumble would be fantastic.

Apparentely Immersion have developed a 'next-gen rumble functionality'. Hmmm. Could this 'nex-gen rumble' be on the PS3 controller? I hope its an improvement over the old one.

I NEED RUMBLE. Find it hard to live without it. I still play my PS2 at times and I like it when your controller rumbles ever so slightly when going on the bumps on GT4 and so on.

Luckily I only have one PS3 controller! I'll end up buying two rumble pads though.

Stellarpimp @ May 25th 2007 5:19AM

@16... I didn't read the last post... I guess great minds think alike. *winks*

Thinking of *winks* PS3Fanboy, get us some dayum smiles! *cheer*

maverick_saturn_626 @ May 25th 2007 10:08AM

Great... the return of the gaming vibrator to pleasure you and keep you entertained ¬_¬

Is this supposed to be exciting news? If you wanted vibrations so much, why not just attach a vibrator to your Sixaxises with selotape, there, vibrations!

Didn't care before and still don't, I can snap necks and blow heads off and have the same amount of fun as those with rumble >.

Gamble20 @ May 25th 2007 11:25AM

I don't notice not having rumnble at all, its the weight of the controller I notice.

The controller is un-naturally light, and so even though i know its durable, my brain tells me I shouldnt squeeze the controller very hard or I could damage it, thus causing my hand to get cramped by holding it in an awkward way.

Again, no big deal. I just think rumble would be an awesome addition to the controller.

I don't want a total redisgn, because that is VERY hard to do. We all know what happened when they tried the boomerang....that was terrible...

...and dont say that Sony is screwing over everybody, because first of all 3 million people doesnt mean crap, and xbox changed their controller also and nobody said anything

Zeloe @ May 25th 2007 11:29AM

Geez, my pockets are going to be barbecue pot roast, after spending money on all these new games and now new rumble controller.

BTitty @ May 25th 2007 7:03PM

I dont know if you all like playing with the speakers off, but last time I played GT4 it had a sound effect for rumble strips, and going off track, and hitting wall. Really the force feedback in the wheels where nice for immersion, but on a ctroller I thought I just plugged a dildo in. Also, you can open your eyes to play these games ;)

nick @ May 25th 2007 9:55PM

i dont miss the rumble. i dont even notice the difference. i hope the controller price doesnt go up tho.

Titty Pink @ May 25th 2007 11:42PM

i'd rather them stagger the sticks; you can have the rumble...

Stef Geiger @ May 26th 2007 3:46AM

Your posts were deleted for a reason, and a good one at that - they're really stupid.

1. The guy who you said was bitter couldn't have possibly been bitter, since he clearly HAS a PS3 and likes the Sixaxis the way it is.
2.Rumbling controllers and ones with force feedback have been available for PCs for more than a decade.
3. I don't know how rumble can tell you "where your gun is", and I certainly don't know how rumble tells you WHO'S neck you're snapping in any game.

I'm really glad to see that these forums are actually being monitored specifically so that those kinds of posts can be removed before other people have to waste their time reading them.

Andrew GO @ May 27th 2007 3:12PM

I'm glad PS3 is getting rumble. It's a feature I really like and I'm dissapointed the PS3 doesn't have it. It doesn't make or break a game, but it's a feature that I think makes the whole experience more enjoyable. But I'm kinda bummed I have two sixaxis sans rumble.