When you play with thermoelectrics, you’re bound to get burned, or possibly chilled. More »
In 2007, Sony settled a long-running dispute with Immersion, a company holding patents for control pad rumble technology. The world moved on. But now, the lawsuit (or at least part of it) is back. More »
Ubisoft has just announced CellFactor: The Psychokenetic Wars, a futuristic first-person shooter coming to Xbox Live Arcade and the PlayStation Network that pits big guns against mental powers.
You’ll no doubt be familiar with the name Immersion. They’re the rumble guys. Microsoft had to pay them to get rumble in the 360 pad, while Sony refused, resulting in the rumble-free Sixaxis. When Sony eventually did cough up the money, though, that led to more dramas, as part of Microsoft’s deal with Immersion was a clause that said they would have to pay MS $US 15 million should Sony swallow their pride and pay for the use of rumble. Which they did. And it was a fee Immersion, in a delicious irony, refused to pay.That led to a legal tussle between Immersion and Microsoft, which has today been settled, with the rumble dudes agreeing to cough up $US 20.75 million. Phew. Hopefully that’s the last time we need to write the words “Immersion” and “legal” in the same story.
MGS4 producer Ryan Payton may think the DualShock 3 feels better than the old version—and maybe it does—but according to Sony, the new controller is using Immersion’s same base technology from 10 years ago. And it’s a major point of contention that confuses Immersion as much as anyone else since they have far better technology in the ready. I believe it’s actually less expensive. The old technology utilizes two motors to create the complex set of sensations, whereas Immersion’s new TouchSense technology utilises a single motor, but we drive the motor in unique ways so that you can get stronger yet crisper effects… So you save on at least one motor, there’s less power consumption, and you may save on other components and circuitry.
Oh, but it would cost Sony money in new licensing, right? More »
