The wireless keyboard also features a touchpad mode to allow for mouse input. David Reeves, president of SCEE, said that this touchpad control mode may be used in future game development.

The keyboard will ship in eight configurations in Europe to support the numerous languages and keyboard types in the continent.

The bundles, retailing in Europe for €60, include one Siaxis controller and one of the following games: F1, GT5 Prologue, Folklore or MotorStorm. Looks like the package deal will be Europe-only, though.

Nothing official from Sony on this of course, but GI remains confident that something concrete will be announced in the coming month, possible at the E3 expo this July.

Sony working on 'break apart' motion PS3 pad [GamesIndustry.biz]

Des nouveaux packs PS3 ? [Game-Class, thanks Frank!]

Innovating on that console is the key, Iwata explains. And if Nintendo can keep beating others to the punch on new ways to play new games, it will do just fine.

"What matters to us is whether or not we can continue to constantly create and offer new surprises one after another. If we can, then (other company's attempt to launch Wii Remote-like controller) should not be a big threat.

The efforts in this field to try to appeal to a wide variety of customers are something in which we saw potential early on and that we have been working on the longest, so there appears to be no reason whatsoever why we need to be concerned."

Iwata says that the video game space can be a risky place for new entrants — sure, no argument. But Microsoft is hardly some art-house developer looking for a break, and it's shown enormous tolerance for losing money here, too.

Still The $64,000 question here is more for Microsoft than Nintendo. Microsoft probably wants to use an "Xmote" to unify casual and hardcore gamers into buying a 360. Perhaps Sony thought the same thing too, and the SIXAXIS has gotten absolutely nowhere as an innovation on the PS3, where it is optional, not integral, to gaming.

Of course you can use a Wiimote for a driving game more serious than Mario Kart, but gamers have gotten by just fine without one. And there's such an orthdoxy to FPS controls now, I'm not sure it makes much difference. So, yes, a controller by itself means little. The titles that are written specifically for it, that is where the threat lies, and its something no one can estimate just yet.

Iwata Not Threatened by Rumored Xbox 360 Wiimote Clone [QJ.Net, thanks to El Cernex]

When Mike told me that he didn't like the SIXAXIS controls for the game, and wasn't even able to complete the tutorial, I chalked it up to some innate hatred of the PS3's motion controls on his part. In fact he did admit that he doesn't really like the PS3 games that use SIXAXIS motion sensing, but there are several that I quite like (Warhawk comes to mind), so I decided to give it a whirl.

After playing through GTA4 on the Xbox 360, I swapped seats with Mike and settled down to get to the bottom of his SIXAXIS hatred. A few minutes into the tutorial I figured out what the problem was. The special SIXAXIS controls for this particular game suck, they're absolutely abysmal.

I suppose with some time I could master using the bike, in fact it wasn't that hard, and maybe one day I would fly the helicopter, but that's not the point, the point is there's no benefit using the motion sensing in Grand Theft Auto IV.

The in-game tutorial for the controller, which is an annoyingly permanent option on your in-game cell phone, walks you through the four ways you use the special controller in the game. Here's the break down and my thoughts:

Reload Weapon: Instead of having to mess around with, you know, pushing a button, the SIXAXIS lets you snap the controller back toward you to reload. Very easy to do, but absolutely no benefit.

Motorcycle: This was by far my favorite of the lot, allowing you to steer your bike by tilting side to side. Unfortunately, it also allows you to lean forward on the bike or do a wheelie by tilting the controller forward or backward. It's unfortunate because if you're leaning forward as you play, or sitting back in the chair, it forces you to hold the controller oddly.

Power Boat: The steering works quite well and while this also lets you tilt the controller forward and backwards to adjust the trim, its not as problematic because doing so really doesn't have much of an impact on the controls.

Helicopter: Whooo-boy, this is what prevented Mike from wrapping up his tutorial training. It took me a good three or four tries to pass it as well. Not only do you have to worry about the pitch problem seen with the motorcycles and boats, but the helicopter is much touchier than the other two vehicles. I also seemed to notice a lag issue with the controls that had me overcompensating and, twice, turning my copter so far sideways it would slam into the ground. It was an exercise in frustration and made me want to throw the controller across the room in frustration. Fortunately, you don't have to fly using it.

Final Thoughts: I'm not sure why Rockstar decided to include SIXAXIS motion controls in GTA IV, maybe they had to, but I'm sure happy they don't force you to use them. Not only can you override the motion controls at any time with the sticks and buttons, but you can turn them completely off preventing it from really flawing this fantastic title. Now if I could only remove the SIXAXIS tutorial option in the menu I might be able to stop fiddling.

Check here for a detailed comparison of the 360 versus PS3 versions of the game.

Ed's note: While the SIXAXIS does include the ability to use aftertouch, that function was not included in the tutorial written about above.

Sixaxis will no longer be offered after it's completely sold through at retail (likely by the summer timeframe).

With the R2 button hanging by a thread, a sweeping upward motion is required to press it. The R1 button is missing entirely, and thus unusable. The L1 button has been knocked off its axis a bit, although it still works. And the PS button is stuck in the depressed position. Analog stick functions seem to work fine, as does patented SIXAXIS tilt control, insofar as patented SIXAXIS tilt control works at all.

I'm not the controller flinging type, though I do frequently threaten to toss consoles out my window; still, it's a funny (and perhaps relevant, depending on your play style) read.

Control Pad Stress Test: PlayStation 3 SIXAXIS, Control Pad Stress Test: Xbox 360 Control Pad, Control Pad Stress Test: The Wii Remote [Insult Swordfighting]

XFPS RATEUP for PS3 [TotalConsole]

Feel free to comb over the source text with a fine-toothed comb:

Sony is, in fact, phasing out the 80GB PS3. Sony is going to stay with the two-SKU approach though, and the prices look to stay the same....The Spiderman 3 pack-in will disappear as well once the 80GB unit is gone. In order to maintain a similar value proposition to the 80GB/Spiderman 3 bundle, I expect to see a storage increase to 120 or 160GB at the same price point, plus the new Dual-Shock 3 controller...

And for those who don't know, Ars publications are highly respected in the technology industry. So that's why you'll see the internet taking this one pretty seriously.

Mole: 80GB PS3 dead, 120-160GB with Dual Shock 3 incoming [opposablethumbs]

Sony, the world is now looking at you to produce a reptilian PS3 to match. Don't let us down.

After a quick look around, ducking into Team Fortress 2—which I was able to play momentarily and only in a solitary sense—and working through the first hour of Half-Life 2, I decided to check out what was being billed as the main offender—Half-Life 2: Episode Two. Within the first few minutes, my fears were confirmed. Right off the bat, Episode Two started to chug.

But that was it. After that first scene, featuring our silent protagonist moving through a train car derailed in the wilderness, it was smooth sailing. Walking from out of doors to a nearby cave, the frame rate held. Then, within the first ten minutes of the episode, bizarre texture popping or some such graphical glitch was affecting sidekick Alyx Vance's leather jacket. Something else already? Ugh. But, this too, quickly subsided, and was never seen again.

For the next few hours, the game's graphics performance stayed strong. Having engaged in some heavy fire fights during the course of the afternoon, and experiencing nothing out of the ordinary, I was wondering when it was going to head south. While I have yet to actually finish the episode, I've encountered nothing game breaking, merely a few stutters.

Most of my experiences had taken place indoors, and despite the odd hitch when the lighting went into "look at me!" mode, the Source engine, the Cell and the RSX held their own. When Freeman emerged from a mineshaft and back into the woods, I started to notice a few graphical quibbles. A pair of rocky spires popped in rather crudely, with the level-of-detail change being somewhat noticeable.

The frame rate took a hit in a few spots while outdoors, but mostly when quickly panning from side to side, as the game's motion blur effects kicked in.

I stopped playing right before one of Half-Life 2: Episode Two's vehicle sequences, one of the complaints pointed out in the 1UP preview. I'll be there soon enough, as I plan to finish the Episode tonight and will keep my eyes peeled for any inconsistencies.

There's still plenty of game to cover, but my initial impressions of the final game's technical capabilities are positive. We'll see if they don't last soon enough.

Now that all that frame rate and lighting nonsense is out of the way, how does The Orange Box play? Quite well, actually. As a big fan of the Half-Life series, I'm willing to forgive the odd quibble, but wouldn't want anything to interfere with my experience. Episode Two, so far, has been great fun, exploring a handful of new mechanics and adding interesting set pieces to the series. Using the SIXAXIS for control works quite well, even if I'm not totally in tune with the default controller mapping. Normally, I play my Valve games on the PC, as I have already done with Half-Life 2: Episode One, Portal and Team Fortress 2, but I found the console version to be just as enjoyable.

As far as the game's other titles, I've only spent a bit of time with each. Half-Life 2 was smooth, if a bit homelier in parts than I remember it from a few years ago. And while Portal looks to be a nicely handled port, I can't yet pass judgment on Team Fortress 2. No one else was playing TF2 this morning, unsurprisingly, so my hands-on time with the shooter was uneventful. I certainly can't judge the game's performance when I'm the only one on the map, but hopefully I'll find a few opponents sooner rather than later.

Expect another volume of hands-on impressions of the PlayStation 3 version of The Orange Box tomorrow.

While only one of the tech demos looks somewhat playable—a simple Lunar Lander-style mini-game controlled with the SIXAXIS—the others are still impressive. Take a gander and day dream of the possibilities.

Video of New Research Conducted with PlayStation Eye [PlayStation.blog]

Sony Computer Entertainment today confirmed news that we first broke back at E3, rumble is indeed returning to the Playstation in the form of a SIXAXIS rumble stick.

Kaz Hirai formerly announced the DualShock 3 during his keynote Thursday morning. There will be no other changes to the outward appearance of the new controller.

The new DualShock 3 is planned to ship in Japan this November, US and Europe in Spring 2008. No price is available today, but the new controller will be on hand, playable in echochrome, Metal Gear Solid 4, Uncharted, Devil May Cry 4, Toy Home, Metal Gear Online and more. In total, ten titles currently support the DualShock 3.

Hirai also said that dozens of other titles will support the DualShock 3, including just about everything going forward. It also appears some older titles might game support.

Wait. What? Seriously. What?

Mr Lair says: "Warhawk's controls are... eurgh!" [Games Radar]

Having the motion-sensing in the SIXAXIS, that really works for some games. And for the Wii — you've seen people rush out and buy the Wii for that realism, if you're swinging a tennis racket, you know how to do it. Hopefully we'll be at the forefront of pushing that further, combining some of the two.

A new Playstation 3 SIXAXIS controller prototype has been sent out to the development community, according to SCEA's Dave Karraker.

The new controller is more of a tweak than any giant leap forward. Karraker said that the controller has slightly enhanced sensitivity for the analog sticks and and motion sensing. He also said that have not added rumble to the PS3 and "have no announcements regarding this feature"... I wonder if there should have been a "yet" at the end of that sentence? Otherwise it doesn't really say anything we don't know. It merely addresses the status quo, not what may happen down the line.

Hit up GamePro for the full quote on the tweaked SIXAXIS prototype.

Sony: 'We have not added rumble' to PS3 controller [GamePro]

Furthermore, it appears that the original rumble-free SIXAXIS is also getting some updates. Addressing controller sensitivity issues, Inner Bits reports that Sony has been "quietly replacing the original controllers" with better tuned hardware.

Ah, the curse of early adoption. At least we OG PLAYSTATION 3 owners have our Emotion Engines to cuddle up with late at night.

PS3 Controller News and Rumors [Inner Bits]

Kaz responds:

We're also looking at a variety of other things that we can incorporate with the controller, and we'll come out with announcements when we think we have the right mix of features for the PS3 controller. [...] That's also an evolving peripheral, if you will, in that we started out with the original PS1 controller with no analogue, and it's come all the way to this point, so obviously, as we go forward, it's not the final model for a PS3 controller, so we'll see what comes down the road.

Are those rumors of Immersion's TouchSense technology starting to sound more legitimate? Maybe. Let's hope we hear fewer tired "Riiiiiidge Racerrrrr" references at Tokyo Game Show and more about opportunities to rebuy the SIXAXIS again.

PlayStation Interview: Kaz Hirai [Kikizo]

But just look at the thing! We already knew it was a bad artist rendering—we do have eyes. We want to know if this bad artist rendering represents a real working prototype (possibly with rumble) that might be floating around Sony and third party developers. In other words, what does the "good artist rendering" look like? SCEA Says 'Redesigned' PS3 Controller Leak is Fake [gamedaily]

Yes, players will use the SIXAXIS tilt controls. And over 200 characters [read: circles] will be playable in the game. All joking aside, I'll download Buu Buu just to check out the clean animation style on bigscreen HDTV...and to convince my wife that I play something more than games involving headshots. LocoRoco Confirmed for PS3 [PSU]

Not so says SCEA, though their responses to our inquires and the one they posted on their site don't match up.

When contacted for comment by Kotaku, head Playstation PR guy Dave Karraker said that there was "nothing sneaky about the red light" adding that it was just an odd lighting effect and that there are no changes to the controller.

Patrick Seybold writes on the official Playstation Blog that the Home button glows red when you charge the debug controller and that it is not a sign or indication of a new controller for the 80GB model.

As I told Karaker: Pooh!

I really doubt it. This video was shot in mid-May for one. Nothing stays quiet for that long in the industry, especially during the lead-in to E3, when you can almost imagine developers hopping up and down in their chairs like excited children with a secret they desperately want to tell.

Secondly...come on guys, it's just a blur. It could really mean anything. Maybe there is a stipulation about dev kit controllers not being shown, or they use special equipment during the development process that they'd rather not have people see. Hell, perhaps they have an odd habit of writing "FUCK" in big letters on all of their development tools and needed to make the vid kid safe.

Or it could very well be a less-than artfully hidden rumble Sixaxis, though as I said I have serious doubts. The main thing to take away from this flurry of speculation is that PS3 owners would really like their rumble back plz. THX!

According to the CNET report, Microsoft's claim of breach of contract includes a provision that requires Immersion to pay fees "based on certain business and IP licensing arrangements."

Could the recent kiss and make up with Sony and rumors swirling of a SIXAXIS re-release with Immersion's tech have triggered the bloodlust of Microsoft's legal department? Does this put a damper on PLAYSTATION 3 with force feedback controllers? Immersion's not talking, yet, but expect to hear more about this exciting legal dispute about patents in the future. Michael McWhertor

Microsoft sues Immersion for contract breach [Cnet]

SCEA president Jack Tretton said the company is "open to changing the SIXAXIS controller." Similarly, Sony Worldwide Studios' Phil Harrison, instead of denying hardware changes to Slashdot readers, simply said "it's a little too early" to date the return of rumble.

Now Inner Bits, who revealed detailed info on SCEE job cuts, say that it's already in the works.

Many have suspected that since the agreement [with Immersion], Sony will have been working on a new controller with rumble support. We can now confirm that this is the case. We've heard from two independent sources at Sony that they have been working on prototypes for several months. Officially, the corporate line is still "no comment". Unofficially, Sony is facing some difficulties with battery life; i.e. Between the rumble and the wireless support, the batteries are draining too fast to be acceptable for consumers.

Bad battery life? Sounds familiar. Hey, Sony, anyone with a Wiimote is familiar with short battery life, so don't let that hold you back. Just pack in a sensibly long USB cable and we'll call it done, okay? Michael McWhertor

PS3 Controller with Rumble in Development [Inner Bits]

Kikizo spoke with Naughty Dog design lead Richard Lemarchand in an effort to squeeze out more details on the PLAYSTATION 3 exclusive, including talk about SIXAXIS support, trophies for Home and the typical PS3 developer Cell lovefest. Oh, nice new screens, too!

This is looking a lot like some of that "promise" I paid for. "TBA Date" can't come soon enough. Michael McWhertor

Uncharted: Drake's Fortune Interview [Kikizo]

I've really got my fingers crossed for 'a'. I never noticed how much rumble meant to me until it was gone. I don't particularly like the idea of paying for something the system should have come with in the first place, but sometimes that's just the way the cookie rumbles. Michael Fahey

PSM digs up RUMBLE RUMOR and brings it to life [GameFAQS Forums via Joystiq]

Executive producer Harvey Elliott told GameSpot:

Instead of pressing buttons to fire off specific spells, we use each console's unique controls... If you want to use 'depulso' to push an object away from you, you press the right analogue stick forward on the 360 and PS2, you push the Sixaxis controller away from you on the PS3, and, of course, you flick your 'wand' away from you on the Wii.

Right now, I'm imagining what that scene from Forrest Gump when father and son start leaning to the side simultaneously would look like if it were two grown people and swearing. Kim Phu

Harry Potter Gestures for PS3 and Wii [Pro-G]

Ah, to be console modder Ben Heckendorn (AKA Ben Heck). No, to be Ben Heck's buddy and get some of his amazing creations! The modder's recent project? Stuffing a PS3 SIXAXIS in an Xbox 360 controller, thereby giving birth to the PS360 controller. You don't just have to be BFF with Ben or pay him gobs of money for the PS360. Now Ben has put a how-to up, you can make it. So, if you know the difference between a Phillips screwdriver and a Small Torx screwdriver, they have a gander. Who knows, you might just be able to pull it off! That, or totally muck up controllers. Either way, good luck. Brian Ashcraft

Make A PS360 Controller [Engadget]

Mad Catz released have released a shudder-inducing QWERTY keyboard add-on for the SIXAXIS. This US $30 keyboard is above the controller, which Mad Catz claims is ergonomically designed for comfort. But, really, can you imagine typing on that monster? Humanity can't! Brian Ashcraft

Mad Catz Keyboard [Official Site via Oh Gizmo]

One of more intersting...no... wait, telling responses from Phil was about the future of force feedback in PS3 controllers.

How long will we have to wait until we see a first party controller with rumble? As we've only recently resolved our legal differences with Immersion, it's a little early to answer this. However, you can play games on PS3 that support devices that have force-feedback already, most notably driving games through steering wheels.

On the topic of exclusives, and Harrison's "concern" on losing them, he says "We have the widest selection of meaningful exclusives on PlayStation 3 - by virtue of our own investments in our development studios and strategic support of independent developers and publishers." I'm sure some will argue that point, of course. What most will agreed on is Phil's take on past PR blunders like the ill-conceived All I Want For Xmas Is A PSP campaign, for which the SCEWW prez says they've been "rightly flamed."

The rest the Q&A is well worth checking out. Michael McWhertor

Phil Harrison Answers Your Questions [Slashdot]

For me, I am not in the rumble camp. I am in the motion control camp. Give me the choice any day and I will choose it as the next logical evolution. You get more disk space with Blu-ray. You get more CPU power with Cell. The pixel shaders with RSX. What changes about the controller? That's my one gripe with the 360. It is very nicely done. Don't get me wrong. On the controls, nothing changed. Sony and Nintendo went the extra mile. Nintendo went the extra 10,000 miles. But Sony said we have to have something fresh in every area.

Julian also makes an excellent point right after this; not every game needs that damned motion controller. Future PS3 developers, please listen to this man!

I still miss rumble in my PlayStation controller, but am finding that learning to live without it is not that hard. However, with the SIXAXIShock is announced, I'll be forced to snap two up. Michael McWhertor

Lair For The PlayStation 3: A Q&A With Factor 5 Chief, Julian Eggebrecht [San Jose Mercury News]

Then we got snaps of the latest Edge which pretty much confirmed it. Now, according to PSP Fanboy, the game has shown up on the Sony Trade Marketing extranet with a June 23, 2007 date.

What do you think? Will you rebuy LocoRoco in HD? I wasn't totally sold on the original, but with SIXAXIS support, I could bite. Michael McWhertor

Sony extranet site reveals Loco Roco release date? [PS3 Fanboy]