I think what most people have a problem with isn't so much the lack of rumble, but the principle of them taking it out. People do not like to see features get dropped, even if they'll never use them.

What's also hurting them is that they won't tell us what is almost certainly the reason it was dropped: that they don't want to pay Immersion. If they would come out and say that, they wouldn't get nearly as much criticism.

ding ding ding, weight is everything in my book... the controller is so light, you don't feel the weight of it for a long period of playing times

Also, i agree that Sony shouldn't take out things even people don't use them. But if they do agree with the rumble feature, the controller gonna be heavier! P.S. i don't like things hog up batteries, i'm sure the rumbler uses lots of battery power... I know i know, you can recharge it, it's no biggie...

Perhaps they should offer controllers with rumble features I haven't try the 3rd party air cooling controllers, sounds pretty cool, i might get one of those when deals are up...

This is exactly my problem with Sony. I don't mind so much the rumble being taken out, it's the arrogance of their comments. It's basically "we took rumble out because it's last gen, and the sixaxis is revolutionary" when we all know the real reason they took rumble out and we have the WII (which they downplay) having a far more revolutionary control system. The PR "spin" that they put on things is getting ridiculous. In fact, if they just shut up completely I think that would be a better PR move than what they're doing now.

I'm still wondering how that Gundam game got all 8.0s in Famicom magazine. Also finally opened Genji to try out... it isn't as bad as I thought it would be, though it's not revolutionary by any means either.

So, when will the PS3 start matching what XBL Marketplace is doing with demos? I mean, the XBOX gets all these demos and the PS3 seems lost. II'm just curious....I was hoping to get a MLB The Show demo eventually.

I actually didn't miss the rumble last gen because of the convenience and the battery life. But both 360 and Wii can do rumble in their wireless controllers (it's actually pretty important for Wii due to motion controls) and now the battery life is fine due to improvements in technology, so can't see why PS3 can't.

Totally. I loved the PS1 and PS2 and own a ton of Sony products. But the PS3 price, and their arrogance with it and Blu-ray has me completely boycotting them now.

Didn't the original boomerang-style PS3 controller that Sony showed off at E3 '05 have rumble? I am pretty sure it did, and it wasn't removed until they redesigned it into the Sixaxis. Clearly back then Sony did not think rumble was "last-gen" if they still were planning to use it.

Okay, I don't get this new Gamespot article.

It says that the Emotion Engine has been removed, but the graphics chip has been retained. I thought the Emotion Engine was the PS2 graphics chip?

The Sony spokeperson also says "Rather than concentrate on PS2 backwards compatibility, in the future, company resources will be increasingly focused on developing new games and entertainment features exclusively for PS3, truly taking advantage of this exciting technology."

I take it to mean that Sony won't be releasing BC updates like Microsoft is doing?

And wasn't Sony bashing the lack of 100% BC capability of the 360 prior to launch?

The PS2 chip is the EE+GS (Emotion Engine + Graphics Synthesizer). They just removed the CPU part of it basically.

This coming from a company that hasn't redesigned a controller in what, 10 years? They slap tilty into a rumbleless PS2 controller and call it next gen?

Blow me Sony, I'm not buying your console. This kind of shit pisses me off more and more every day.

They dont need you complainers. Sony has a "multimillion installed fan base" already established from the PS2

Can Sony set the prices for all blu ray set top boxes? I wonder if they can keep any new players from being cheaper than the ps3 to prevent lost sales?

Problem is: the complainers and the PS2 fanbase are not necessarily mutually exclusive. I, for one, fall into both categories.

Sony announced that their new BD player, due this Summer, will have a list price of $599. They went on to say their standalones would be between $299 and $399 this Christmas.

Same here - the only next-gen console I still play is my PS2, and I'll be picking up God of War 2 for it shortly.

I still have no desire to ever get a PS3.

For the most part I could do without rumble, but there are times when it is used briliantly and adds a lot to the game. In Table Tennis, the rumbling lets you know if the shot you are setting up for is going off the table, allowing just enough time to adjust the shot to hit the table.

Why did they even release the statement, would have been better off just not saying anything.

So, I ended up getting a PS3 with Resistance and a couple of Blu-ray titles, yesterday. I got it at EB Games, but I decided to opt out of their extended warranty, because they wanted $100/year, and I know that Sony gives customers a one-year warranty on every PS3. I didn't really want to pay a hundred bucks for a year I'm covered for, but I'm starting to re-think that based on how easy it is to exchange any problematic consoles with EB. I've had great experiences with returning faulty 360s for new ones, as I've had terrible luck with that console.

I've yet to open it, so I'm considering buying it from somewhere else that would give me a better warranty. I'm undecided right now.

I've got a few questions, though:

1. Do you think it's a bad idea to use it as a Blu-ray player, based on how shoddy the PS2's DVD player was, and how it seemed to kill the laser? I also collect HD-DVDs, so it's not like I'll be watching a Blu-ray disc every day (maybe once or twice a week,) but I want to make sure I'm not going to screw myself over in the end.

2. I'm too lazy to read through 12 pages of this thread, so I just want to ask a general question about defects. Have any of you experienced any major defects? Or, is this system pretty good when it comes to working properly, as opposed to early 360s?

3. What good games are on the horizon, besides Oblivion, Rainbow Six Vegas, and F.E.A.R.? I already have those on the 360. Also, is there a good site for release dates? Gamespot is shit.

4. Any ideas of stores in Canada that have better extended warranties?

Thanks in advance.

In answer to your first question two questions, I've heard the PS3 as a Blu-Ray player is supposed to be top-notch. Everyone over at AVS was raving about it. They don't think it's a very good DVD player (I guess it doesn't upscale right now, but rumor is it probably will in the future with a firmware upgrade.) Also, it's supposed to be pretty solidly built, no real problems off the bat. Then again, this is just generally what I've heard, don't own one at this time.

The one my friend bought on launch day died a couple hours after hooking it up. He was able to get in some time with Resistence and Tiger Woods, but after going back to the menu it wouldn't read any game disc thereafter. DVDs and Ricky Bobby worked fine.

This was on launch day/nite. He called Sony the next day and they shipped him a new one. Hasn't had a problem since.

UPDATE 1.54 is up now. Not sure what it does though.


It's also upsetting that Sony does not let you download a demo of Flow or the other arcade games (Qbert)

I bet they released a statement to control bad press (go figure).

Game mags and 'industry people' were probably asking 'when are you going to get a rumble controller' or 'your controller still doesnt have a rumble feature' so they decided to dictate WHAT makes a controller NEXT GEN: No rumbling obviously.

Someone on avs said it addresses backwards compatability, but I'm not positive.

Sony expects to resolve PS3 shortages by May
Tue Feb 27, 2007 9:59 PM EST
By Scott Hillis

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Sony Corp. is on track to ship 2 million PlayStation 3s to North American stores by the end of March, and expects shortages of the video game console to have completely eased by May, a top executive said on Tuesday.

"April or May is when we feel like we're going to catch up to demand and have product fully in stock across North America and stay there," said Jack Tretton, chief executive of Sony Computer Entertainment America.

Asked about widespread reports on video game Web sites that stacks of unsold PlayStation 3s are a common sight in many electronics shops, Tretton told Reuters in an interview that the console was still out of stock in some areas three months after its November launch.

"It's a testament to the fact that we've been able to manufacture and ship units on a greater pace than any previous console," Tretton said.

"Our goal is to fill shelves across the United States. Our goal is not to have empty shelves, it's to have full shelves. If we have empty shelves, that's one less consumer who could have bought a PlayStation 3," Tretton said.

Sony's PlayStation 3 is the cornerstone of the consumer electronics giant's strategy to dominate home entertainment.

The PlayStation 3 -- which costs $500 or $600 depending on features -- has a hard drive to store game data and music, and can play DVDs using Sony's Blu-Ray high-definition technology.

But the machine faces stiff competition from Microsoft Corp.'s Xbox 360, which launched a year earlier and has an extensive system for online play, and Nintendo Co. Ltd.'s Wii, which features a unique motion-sensitive controller.

Consumers and analysts have praised the PlayStation 3's graphical prowess and potential, but they have also raised concerns about its high price, a weak line-up of current games and what has been perceived as arrogance on Sony's part about the desirability of its flagship product.

"The PS3's biggest opponent right now is itself. It's really just competing against its own PR," said Jeremy Dunham, PlayStation editor at entertainment Web site IGN.

"The PS3's problem right now is there have been a lot of broken promises. It has a lot of things to overcome, but the brand name, the franchises and good exclusives ... all should generate interest," Dunham said.

Tretton, who helped Sony launch the original PlayStation in North America in 1995, said Sony was on track to ship 2 million PlayStation 3s to retailers by the end of March.

"We're in pretty good shape to do that. The early returns are quite favorable," Tretton said.

In January, Sony sold 244,000 PlayStation 3s, compared to 294,000 for the Xbox 360 and 436,000 for the Wii.

The company has said its target is to ship 6 million PS3s worldwide by the end of March.

Shares in Sony fell 5.8 percent in Japan, hit by a surge in the yen and a sell-off in global markets.

There's a shortage?