SIXAXIS Rumble feature deep-sixed due to costs

It has long been known that the Rumble feature is a bygone thing for the SIXAXIS controller. [insert collective sigh] But do we know the true reason why? Kazuo Hirai himself recently stated how the exile of the vibrating function came about. And to some raving fans, the excuse doesn’t seem to be enough.

“If we have to come up with technology… to isolate the vibration from the sensing, if that means that the controllers are going to be so expensive, then we’re doing the consumer a huge disservice by coming up with a controller that is not very affordable.”

In short, they’re cutting costs. Fine, we can accept that. Lots of companies want to cut costs. Actually, that’s what companies generally want to do. The lower the price of the product, the more chance of sales in the market. So, if Sony wants to protect their assets, they’re willing to cut costs.

We think that in any new device, whether a GPS unit for the PSP or something like the SIXAXIS, there’s bound to be trade-offs. Fine, the price is cheaper, but to its detriment, loses a feature like vibration. On the bright side, there’s still the motion sensing part of the controller, and it’s generous of them to emphasize on that aspect. And when you think about it, that’s actually what the controller was named after, right?

It has long been known that the Rumble feature is a bygone thing for the SIXAXIS controller. [insert collective sigh] But do we know the true reason why? Kazuo Hirai himself recently stated how the exile of the vibrating function came about. And to some raving fans, the excuse doesn’t seem to be enough.

“If we have to come up with technology… to isolate the vibration from the sensing, if that means that the controllers are going to be so expensive, then we’re doing the consumer a huge disservice by coming up with a controller that is not very affordable.”

In short, they’re cutting costs. Fine, we can accept that. Lots of companies want to cut costs. Actually, that’s what companies generally want to do. The lower the price of the product, the more chance of sales in the market. So, if Sony wants to protect their assets, they’re willing to cut costs.

We think that in any new device, whether a GPS unit for the PSP or something like the SIXAXIS, there’s bound to be trade-offs. Fine, the price is cheaper, but to its detriment, loses a feature like vibration. On the bright side, there’s still the motion sensing part of the controller, and it’s generous of them to emphasize on that aspect. And when you think about it, that’s actually what the controller was named after, right?