TGS: Sixaxis with rumble confirmed

During his keynote speech at the Tokyo Game Show, Sony Computer Entertainment president Kaz Hirai officially confirmed that the company will be releasing new Sixaxis controllers with a rumble feature.

The new DualShock 3 controllers will be available in Japan in November and in the US and UK in Spring 2008. The retail price will be announced at a later date.

"We have not made any changes to its outward appearance and design, but it does have vibration," Hirai said.

The news was revealed earlier when EA gave journalists a hands-on demo of Burnout Paradise on the PS3...complete with shaking controllers and a "rumble" sticker on the underside of the Sixaxis.

Nine titles at TGS will support the new controller, including Metal Gear Online.

Sony originally downplayed the lack of controller feedback by claiming it would be too costly and difficult to include both tilt and rumble. "We have been able to overcome this difficulty," said Hirai.

Back in 2002, Immersion sued Sony and Microsoft for patent infringement related to the inclusion of rumble features in their game controllers. Microsoft settled the lawsuit; Sony fought it. Three years later, a court ordered Sony to pay USD 90 million in damages.

Sony and Immersion finally settled their ongoing legal dispute in March 2007, paving the way for the inclusion of a rumble feature in the Sixaxis PS3 controller.