DualShock 3 Rumble = DualShock 2

Sony's recently announced and widely embraced DualShock 3 controller will feature the same innards and technology as its wired PlayStation 2 brethren, the company has confirmed. After Sony and Immersion came to terms over a long-standing lawsuit--the reason, many believe, PlayStation 3's Sixaxis lacked rumble in the first place--some speculated that the eventual PS3 vibration-capable controller would utilize Immersion's highly-touted TouchSense technology. Not so, says SCEA's Kimberly Otzman. "The rumble feature on the DualShock 3 is the same as DualShock 2," she told GameDaily BIZ. It's a disappointing development, especially since Immersion claims its TouchSense tech can "match the realism expected of next-generation high-definition graphics and high-fidelity sound." The company provides a number of examples, including the rat-a-tat of a machine gun followed by the click of an empty chamber and the hum of a lightsaber's energy as it powers up and the subtle changes as it's swung around. Immersion also points out that TouchSense is compatible with motion-sensing technology, such as that found within the PlayStation 3's Sixaxis, backwards compatible with previous rumble support, and may even improve battery life relative to older vibration solutions. Speaking of battery life, Otzman revealed that gamers can expect about 15 hours of play time from the wireless DualShock 3 while rumble is enabled. With rumble turned off, the estimated battery life hovers around 30 hours. The DualShock 3 arrives in Japan this fall, with a North American and European launch scheduled for Spring 2008.