PS3 to rumble... or not?

[PS3 News]

From Porkape via e-mail: http://www.gamasutra.com/features/20060517/murdey_01.shtml

Immersion's Victor Viegas on PlayStation 3's Lack of Vibration:

In addition to the monetary damages awarded, Viegas said the other outcome of the 2004 verdict was an injunction that, if applied, would prohibit Sony from any production, manufacture, or sale of the related technologies in the United States. It is this injunction that Sony is currently attempting to appeal.

Previous lawsuits in which immersion has played a part include a settlement with Microsoft (who was originally named as a defendant in the same suit Sony is currently fighting) and Electrosource, the company which produces the Pelican brand of third-party controllers. Both of these companies have settled with Immersion, but Viegas says he sees no current indicators that Sony will follow suit.

The company announced in a press release that the PS3 controller would lack vibration due to the possibility of it interfering with the controller’s new tilt sensors, which Viegas feels is unlikely.

“If what they’re saying is in fact the reason why [the controller will not have vibration], I’ve offered them numerous solutions to the problem,” Viegas said in an interview Tuesday. “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.”

[WOWchamp]

I, for one, will just jump right out here and say it. Rumble feature was just an "extra" for me. More often then not it was more of a nusiance then a novelty. The ONLY reason it was a good thing was the increased weight makeing it not feel like a cheap plastic toy.

[Xcali1985]

Personally I played plenty of games that actually rumbled but if I wasnt looking for it to rumble I barely or didn't feel it at all

[Jigen]

You just got so used to the rumble that you never really noticed it anymore. It will feel weird at first not having it rumble when you expect it to, but it won't take long to forget all about it again.

[whiteshirtkyd]

i haven't had rumble at all in my slimline, doesn't bother me... thought I don't get why I have no rumble. It would be great though to have rumble, that way nintendo fanboys can stop saying "no rumble liek LOSS LOL!"

[Radiskull]

Only reason why I would think the rumble feature would be important, are shooting games like Socom or Battlefield. If your getting shot at from far away, you would know to move your butt from the rumble in your hands before it was too late. Many a time, that vibration saved me

[Jigen]

The rumble feature is also nice for the ladies

[northernpimp]

yea my current ps2 does not have rumble...never did. ive had it for like 3 yrs and dont even notice its gone. Now when i play on my friends ps2 like socom who does have it..i freak out for like the first 5 min then i get used to it..I dont care if i have it or not as long as the controller feels semi the same weight as if they took out the rumble all the weight would be gone and it would feel cheap as heck.

[Kraken]

About a month after I bought my PS2, the rumble stopped working (blown fuse?). Needless to sy, I didn't even notice for about a year, and still just don't really care. I do use rumble on my xbox though and its nice, but not something that I would pay extra for, and not something so important as to justify a controller redesign. Tilt sensors seem kinda lame too though, like a poor attempt to steal some of nintendo's fire, but they will probably add the nessesary weight (and cost ) to the controller.

[flatbush]

i would rather sony put a motion senser thing on each controller similar like those arcade that sense like para para dance thingy. because pesonally im getting tire of the ps controller design. holding it for long hours can make your hands sweat n doesnt feel that good. i hope ppl get what i mean. but anyway if there is a motion senser thing it can save us alot on holding something for long hours :P just a thought

oh and for the topic, i dont really mind the rumble is gone or not. infact i always try to put down the controler as much as i can like in cutscenes