Immersion Polls Gamers On PS3 Rumble

[Angelcurio]

Immersion Polls Gamers On PS3 Rumble


In the latest round of its continuing legal and PR battle against Sony to get its proprietary rumble effects into the PlayStation 3 console, Immersion Corporation has commissioned a provocative public poll into PlayStation 3 rumble.

The details of the survey, which is being advertised on video game-related sites including GamesIndustry.biz, include questions on the specific benefits of rumble effects in game controllers (choices include: "Makes the game more fun... Helps me play better (provides warnings, alerts, guidance)... Keeps me playing the game longer", and also asks: "Tell us what game(s) you play that just wouldn't be the same without rumble and why."

The Immersion survey continues by asking what next-gen consoles the player intends to own, and the key question: "If rumble is removed from the PS3 console, your PlayStation or PS2 games also may not have vibration when played on the PS3. How would the lack of rumble in the whole console affect your decision to buy the PS3?"

The choices given are: "I would definitely not purchase a PS3 without rumble, I would be more likely to purchase an Xbox 360 with rumble, I would be more likely to purchase a Wii with rumble, I would buy a PS3 anyway, but I'd be disappointed [and] It would not affect my decision at all."

Immersion has built much of its business model on licensing wide-ranging patents related to rumble effects in controllers and litigating over other entities' use of the effect, and has previously settled a lawsuit with Microsoft over the issue in July 2003.

However, a lawsuit with Sony over the rumble in PlayStation 2 controllers, which was preliminarily won back in September 2004, is still making its way through multiple appeals, and many have speculated that this is the reason for lack of rumble in PlayStation 3, despite Sony claims that hardware interference caused by its recently-announced gyroscopic controls are the actual cause.

Now, it appears that Immersion is trying to force the issue and garner more revenue for its exceptionally wide-ranging patent by formally announcing TouchSense vibration technology for next-gen consoles, which twins tilt sensing and rumble effects.

In relation to this, the firm is continuing to mount a PR offensive, both at a developer and consumer level, in an apparent attempt to build public pressure and force Sony to accede and settle the original PS2 lawsuit, then pay Immersion to integrate rumble effects into the PlayStation 3. However, it is as yet unclear whether Sony will necessarily submit to such relatively bold tactics.

Link: http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=9976

It really looks like Inmmersion is trying to force Sony to put rumble on the PS3.

 

[Carl B]

This is honestly getting a little pathetic on Immersion's part. I think any partnership on Sony's part would likely hold out on a much impoved suit settlement as a condition.

 

[scooby_dooby]

It's also a little pathetic on Sony's end.

"in an apparent attempt to build public pressure and force Sony to accede and settle the original PS2 lawsuit"

They STILL haven't paid them what they owe?? What are they waiting for?

 

[Carl B]

[/I]They STILL haven't paid them what they owe?? What are they waiting for?

To lose the appeal?

I'll add the caveat *if* they lose the appeal as well... if there wasn't the chance of victory, you can be sure Sony would already have plunked down.

 

[Guden Oden]

I believe immersion's suit to be without merit and their patents junk - on vibrating "force feedback" anyway, they have other stuff that is good - but at this point, since sony has consistently been losing these fights, it would be best for them to simply bite the bullet, pony up the damages and then buy a license for this tech.

I happen to like rumbling pads.

 

[scooby_dooby]

To lose the appeal?

I'll add the caveat *if* they lose the appeal as well... if there wasn't the chance of victory, you can be sure Sony would already have plunked down.

Didn't they already appeal it a couple times though?

 

[Carl B]

Didn't they already appeal it a couple times though?

I think they've appealed and lost one appeal thus far... so the original case and the first appeal. This will probably be *the* appeal that determines it all, unless it goes to the Supreme Court or something. And that just seems a little much.

 

[Powderkeg]

I think they've appealed and lost one appeal thus far... so the original case and the first appeal. This will probably be *the* appeal that determines it all, unless it goes to the Supreme Court or something. And that just seems a little much.

They've actually lost 2 appeals, and the next one is their last chance. The Supreme Court only hears cases where the law itself is in question, and that isn't the case here.

 

[Carl B]

I stand corrected.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

Fantastic survey!

9. If you owned both an Xbox 360 with rumble and a PS3 console without any rumble capability, and a game came in both versions, which one would you buy?

• PS3 version (without the rumble)
• Xbox 360 version (with the rumble)

Obviously a person's buy decisions come down to nothing other than rumble. I'm sure going to buy the XB360 version of a game if it's a lousy port that got 5/10 over a PS3 version that got 8/10, just because it's got 'da rumblz'
I'm also sure a lot of respondants will be utterly against the motion control without ever having tried it, and once their get their sticky mits on it, you never know, they might find they prefer it. But better to vote on prejudice than experience, right?

 

[TheChefO]

Fantastic survey!


Obviously a person's buy decisions come down to nothing other than rumble. I'm sure going to buy the XB360 version of a game if it's a lousy port that got 5/10 over a PS3 version that got 8/10, just because it's got 'da rumblz'
I'm also sure a lot of respondants will be utterly against the motion control without ever having tried it, and once their get their sticky mits on it, you never know, they might find they prefer it. But better to vote on prejudice than experience, right?

I think the assumption is based on an all things being equal multiplat title. Only difference being rumble or lack of.

I think that's a pretty safe assumption for the majority of the multiplats this gen. The not so safe assumption is that people will have both a 360 and a ps3 to even make that decision!

 

[Shifty Geezer]

I think that's a pretty safe assumption for the majority of the multiplats this gen. The not so safe assumption is that people will have both a 360 and a ps3 to even make that decision!

Not at all. Some ports are just plain bad. A UE3 game, maybe, but a game that's been written primarily for one platform and ported across can be rubbish, even porting from low-power machine to higher powered machine. It's also worth noting that all things being equal won't happen. They have different controllers with different shapes, and some people might pick the game for the console with the controller they prefer. They'll have different online interfaces, and one person might prefer Lives! over PlayStation Online Silver Network Goodness. One will likely have faster load times, either because it's loading off a faster drive or is being cached to HDD. One of them might even have extra motion functionality in it's controls...

 

[Guden Oden]

Obviously a person's buy decisions come down to nothing other than rumble. I'm sure going to buy the XB360 version of a game if it's a lousy port that got 5/10 over a PS3 version that got 8/10, just because it's got 'da rumblz'

I'm sure they mean 'all other things being equal'...

I would probably buy a PS3 version of a game that is equal in gfx/sound to a 360 game even though I'd lose the rumble just because the 360 is such a noisy fvcker. The DVDROM going at full tilt at all times creates a terrible racket (particulary as optical disks are often rather poorly balanced), and the fans aren't exactly silent either. PS3 has the chance of being much quieter with its 2xBR drive with a considerably lower RPM, and if sony's claims of fans being on the same noise level as the PSTwo, then it's going to be a considerable difference.

I'm also sure a lot of respondants will be utterly against the motion control without ever having tried it

Hmmm, I'm not so sure. The 'Wii effect' might have changed people's opinions on motion-controlled gaming, I dunno. Hard to say for sure.

But better to vote on prejudice than experience, right?

Hey, 'prejudice' is teh intarwebs middle name!

 

[Shifty Geezer]

I followed their link to the PS3 forum after filling in the poll and there was a thread there of people ranting how motion should go and rumble be put back. Of course no-one knows how representative of the populace at large these people are. And that's also a fault of this survey, in that it'll only ask 'hardcore gamers' their opinions, and rather lopsided opinons, which likely won't be statistically correlated to PlayStation wider audience.

It's just a bit cheeky really! They want a contracting deal so are trying to farm public opinion to throw at Sony and say 'look everyone wants Rumble'. This is a new one on me. AFAIK a company approaches another with a proposition and they consider it in relation to their business strategy and evaluation of their market. If they turn you down, you don't start campaigning for them to change their mind!

I'd appreciate a fair, unbiased poll to see exactly what gamers do want, as it'd be interesting info. Looking at the Wii, as you say, it seems there's quite some interest in motion control. This poll doesn't have the scope to create a balanced view of those preferences.

 

[wco81]

If they're still negotiating, their relations must be in the dumps or will be after pulling this heavy-handed stunt.

They couldn't come to a business agreement so now Immersion is trying to pressure Sony by casting it in a bad light with its prospective customers?

 

[patsu]

Heh heh, I wonder what's next for them: Publish the survey result in a news or press release ? Sponsor a featured article on their next gen rumble technologies ? Talk about how rumble makes games better in a series of real-life case studies in PS2 and Xboxes ?

Might be too late though. Those who want rumble will buy the Logitech controller as a second controller.

Immersion will likely fade into the background (again) once people experience more "next gen" games on PS3 and Xbox 360. Why don't they use the money to develop new market instead ? Like doing a rumble or touch sensitive Lego brick or something.

 

[Acert93]

The choices given are: "I would definitely not purchase a PS3 without rumble, I would be more likely to purchase an Xbox 360 with rumble, I would be more likely to purchase a Wii with rumble, I would buy a PS3 anyway, but I'd be disappointed [and] It would not affect my decision at all."

It would not affect my decision at all.

I thought it was cool on the N64 because it was different but outside of real force feedback (like in a joystick or racing wheel) it really doesn't do much for me other than annoy! When I consider what console to get rumble wont be a feature that is even on the radar. To each their own.

 

[nintenho]

I wonder if PS3 controller adapters for 360 will have gyros or rumble.

 

[scooby_dooby]

It would not affect my decision at all.

I thought it was cool on the N64 because it was different but outside of real force feedback (like in a joystick or racing wheel) it really doesn't do much for me other than annoy! When I consider what console to get rumble wont be a feature that is even on the radar. To each their own.

Play GRAW on 360 and get back to me! One of the best implementations to date.

 

[ChryZ]

What's next? Are they going to sue Sony for not using their tech?