Sony surprised many, including the developers, when it announced that the PS3 controller will not sport the rumble feature, one of the first tricks among PC and video game developers to enhance the experience when playing. That the controller transmits physical feelings in direct response to what happens in the game is to many an effective way to improve the gaming experience and now many claim that Sony is taking a big step back with the removal of the rumble feature with its PS3 controller. At Gamasutra they’ve published an interview with Victor Viegas, VP at Immersion. A company that in September of 2005 recevied $90 million after suing Sony just because Sony had misused Immersion’s force-feadback technologies.
In the interview they discuss the reason for Sony to skip the rumbling and according to Viegas the official reason that the vibration interfered with the motion sensors is simply not true. Viegas and Immersion have supplied Sony with several solutions. It seems Sony’s PS3 controller keeps creating headlines and the big question is if this really will be the last version or if Sony will try to solve the rumble support before the console is actually launched.
