Immersion says PS3 controller could get it's Rumble back

[USF11]

This is a funny story.

http://gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=17141

[Rodster]

Immersion says PS3 controller could get it's Rumble back

This is the one thing that caused me to forget about buying a PS3 which I was ready. I know for some rumble is a nusiance but for gamers like me I started gaming with the original Dual Shock. For me gaming just isn't the same without it now.

http://eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=64869

Sony has been offered help introducing "rumble" technology to its PlayStation 3 controller by a very unusual source - the president of the company that sued it for using the technology in the first place.

In a press release shortly after its pre-E3 conference, the platform holder said the addition of tilt sensors to the PS3 controller meant it was impossible to implement rumble technology - something balked at by a number of commentators, and widely criticised following the show.

Speaking to Gamasutra, Immersion president Victor Viegas said he'd "offered them numerous solutions to the problem". "I don't believe it's a very difficult problem to solve, and Immersion has experts that would be happy to solve that problem for them."

For this to happen, however, Sony would have to drop its current appeal against the 2004 lawsuit that saw it told to pay approximately USD 90 million in damages to Immersion, which had alleged it made illegal use of its "haptic" (rumble) technologies.

Sony is currently appealing against an injunction that would prohibit it from making or selling PlayStation controllers featuring rumble technology. Microsoft, originally named in the same lawsuit, settled with Immersion for $26 million, also taking a 10 per cent stake in the company and becoming a licensee of its technology. Immersion has taken no action against Nintendo at this time.

"[Sony has] taken aggressive positions with the use of patents to try to invalidate our claims, and have argued that Immersion committed fraud," Viegas told Gamasutra. "There's been quite a lot of legal activity and a lot of unnecessary energy expended over this."

Viegas feels that the removal of rumble from PlayStation 3 is a backwards step for Sony, telling Gamasutra, "to take vibration out of a driving game or a first person shooting game, I can't imagine how people will be able to view that as an advancement in gaming".

[Rodster]

Re: Immersion says PS3 controller could get it's Rumble back

Looks like USF11 beat me too it. Please close this thread.

[Skyboxer]

Re: Immersion says PS3 controller could get it's Rumble back

Do you think Sony will implement it though after saying "rumble" is "old" technology and they were moving to new tech?

[jfsolo]

Re: Immersion says PS3 controller could get it's Rumble back

Sony should swallow their pride, and find a way to make it happen. Its a feature that most, if not all, gamers want and expect in their console games. The egos at the top of the company may not be able to do it, but they should just admit they were wrong about the importance of the the vibration function.

[WTF]

Re: Immersion says PS3 controller could get it's Rumble back

Thread's merged

[backbreaker]

Re: Immersion says PS3 controller could get it's Rumble back

This is the one thing that caused me to forget about buying a PS3 which I was ready. I know for some rumble is a nusiance but for gamers like me I started gaming with the original Dual Shock. For me gaming just isn't the same without it now.

http://eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=64869

Sony has been offered help introducing "rumble" technology to its PlayStation 3 controller by a very unusual source - the president of the company that sued it for using the technology in the first place.

In a press release shortly after its pre-E3 conference, the platform holder said the addition of tilt sensors to the PS3 controller meant it was impossible to implement rumble technology - something balked at by a number of commentators, and widely criticised following the show.

Speaking to Gamasutra, Immersion president Victor Viegas said he'd "offered them numerous solutions to the problem". "I don't believe it's a very difficult problem to solve, and Immersion has experts that would be happy to solve that problem for them."

For this to happen, however, Sony would have to drop its current appeal against the 2004 lawsuit that saw it told to pay approximately USD 90 million in damages to Immersion, which had alleged it made illegal use of its "haptic" (rumble) technologies.

Sony is currently appealing against an injunction that would prohibit it from making or selling PlayStation controllers featuring rumble technology. Microsoft, originally named in the same lawsuit, settled with Immersion for $26 million, also taking a 10 per cent stake in the company and becoming a licensee of its technology. Immersion has taken no action against Nintendo at this time.

"[Sony has] taken aggressive positions with the use of patents to try to invalidate our claims, and have argued that Immersion committed fraud," Viegas told Gamasutra. "There's been quite a lot of legal activity and a lot of unnecessary energy expended over this."

Viegas feels that the removal of rumble from PlayStation 3 is a backwards step for Sony, telling Gamasutra, "to take vibration out of a driving game or a first person shooting game, I can't imagine how people will be able to view that as an advancement in gaming".

Sony probably would probably would like the rumble, but they are not willing to pay for it, and so immersion is trying hard but sony will not bite.

[Tha_Kid]

Re: Immersion says PS3 controller could get it's Rumble back

Microsoft already paid, its too bad Sony is too cocky to pony up the dough..

[Rodster]

Re: Immersion says PS3 controller could get it's Rumble back

Microsoft already paid, its too bad Sony is too cocky to pony up the dough..

And the lies and deception are starting to catch up with Sony. Because I saw thru the lie of why they could not put rumble in the PS3 controller. I know it has to do with Immersion's lawsuit. We're talking about one of the best companies designing electronic gadgets and they can't figure out how to make a tilt and rumble feature work within the same controller? I didn't buy it for one minute.

IMO this is right up there with the clear and the cream.

[Ice Cream Truck]

Re: Immersion says PS3 controller could get it's Rumble back

It's not that serious at all. All Sony has to do is buy it and tell those people that actually heard them when they said "we can't add rumble because it will interfere with the motion sensor" that they found a way to do it.

Really, how many consumers know that the PS3 controller won't have rumble.

Let's be real. Once Sony gets it back, PS3 fans aren't going to get mad because Sony lied. What would you rather: Sony stick to what they said and rumble NOT be in the PS3 controller or Sony buys it back and adds rumble to the controller and somehow tells the fans we can put rumble on our controller now

Really, it's not as serious as you're making it out to be Rodster.

[LIGHTNING]

Re: Immersion says PS3 controller could get it's Rumble back

IF Sony is willing to settle this lawsuit and use rumble, do they have to pay Immersion for both the controller and the games that use rumble or just the controller?

[Tha_Kid]

Re: Immersion says PS3 controller could get it's Rumble back

They would pay immersion the 90 million they were awarded in the lawsuit and royalties from PS3 sales and controller sales. The 90 million is what the court awarded them as an estimate of royalties they shouldve received from dualshock and dualshock 2...

[Rodster]

Re: Immersion says PS3 controller could get it's Rumble back

Let's be real. Once Sony gets it back, PS3 fans aren't going to get mad because Sony lied. What would you rather: Sony stick to what they said and rumble NOT be in the PS3 controller or Sony buys it back and adds rumble to the controller and somehow tells the fans we can put rumble on our controller now

Really, it's not as serious as you're making it out to be Rodster.

I agree ICT it's certainly not the end of the world and there are more important things to worry about. But people do care and people tend to remember the next time.

It's no different than the Emotion Engine and Toy Story graphics example. There are many and i'm included who are no longer taking at face value what Sony says. If you think this doesn't matter try going over to eurogamer.net where they are predominately pro Sony. The majority are no longer giving Sony a pass when they say something.

I believe and maybe it's just me that this no rumble fiasco involves the Immersion lawsuit. And I really find it strange an electronics giant can't figure out how to make a tilt and rumble feature work in the same controller.

[luv_mist]

Re: Immersion says PS3 controller could get it's Rumble back

How much power will the rumble and tilting crap take though? They might have to redo their controller if theey add the rumbling into the controller. I'm very curious to see what happens cause hearing Major Nelson, I realized just how much the games on the PS3 would be lacking. Goodness Sony is looking bad. Pride is a killer.......