PS3 won't support force feedback wheels
by James Ransom-Wiley 
{ Jan 5th 2007 at 7:26PM }
Sony recently confirmed with 1UP that PlayStation 3 will not support force feedback, a technology that is often integrated into racing wheel peripherals. The explanation was vague: "All PS3 games are programmed for the Sixaxis which doesn't have force feedback, therefore the force feedback in the wheels won't be recognized."Perhaps Sony misspoke. There aren't any console gamepads that support the type of force feedback technology built into many top-line racing wheels, so when this feature is enabled in racing games, it's an additional programming step that only benefits players using an appropriate racing wheel -- it simply doesn't matter that Sixaxis lacks full force feedback (or even simple rumble feedback). If Sony is actively dissuading developers from coding in force feedback support for racing wheels compatible with PS3, it has nothing to do with what Sixaxis lacks ... then again, it might have everything to do with what Sixaxis lacks.
If indeed Immersion technologies like rumble and force feedback are never be supported by Sony's new console it's almost certainly the result of the 2003 lawsuit brought against Sony by Immersion, and the judge's denial of Sony's subsequent appeal.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Dave @ Jan 7th 2007 3:28PM
Sony will fail.
Don't do that! @ Jan 5th 2007 7:39PM
If this is true (which I'm REALLY hoping it's not), look for me buying and playing a 360 just for Forza Motorsport 2 in the near future. (Yes, I'm sure there are other great titles for that system, but that's the issue here).
Rubang @ Jan 5th 2007 7:38PM
Since PS3 games can't use force feedback to emulate recoil in shooters, you'd think that they'd try to work around it by only making games that use lazer guns and plasma guns and whatnot that have no recoil. But no, you get to fire shotguns and feel nothing. PLAY B3YOND!
And when other companies try to help out for racing games, Sony stops them. Why? No idea. They need all the help they can get.
Spilt_Milk @ Jan 5th 2007 7:38PM
Sony has already failed on so many level it is suprising the fabric of space and time has not ripped apart.
Strike Man @ Jan 5th 2007 7:40PM
The system doesn't need rumble on its controllers or wheels. The super-awesome power of the CELL will make your hands tremble without the need for any sort of force-feedback!
*just throwing this out before some kid tries to offer it as an actual excuse*
Mike @ Jan 5th 2007 7:51PM
Look at it this way guys.
Sony MAY be disuading devs from coding in force feedback in games because it could hurt their bottom line.
Say youre sony.
And lets say a game has force feedback such as rumble.
Would you rather a 3rd party like pelican making a ps3 compatible rumble controler with no tilt tech and a customer buying THAT?
Or a sony branded sixaxis?
The former would be bad for you if you were sony, more profits not going INTO your pocket, and the heavily touted motion sensing tech selling point for your console becoming negated.
If the decision was left to sony, im sure they would rather devs not even put in any kind of force feedback into PS3 games to keep this from happening.
Jonah Falcon @ Jan 5th 2007 7:53PM
Sony just saying another big "FUCK YOU!" to its fans. $600 for ... what?
Spilt_Milk @ Jan 5th 2007 8:03PM
They were offered a deal to license it but they are throwing a fit like a 2 year old spoiled brat.
Ace of Sevens @ Jan 5th 2007 8:07PM
Haptic feedback (rumble) and force feedback aren't the same thing at all. Haptic feedback makes things shake. Force feedback causes resistance when you try to the turn the wheel or what have you. I'm not sure if this Sony person doesn't know the difference or if this is some sort of lame excuse.
ConstyXIV @ Jan 5th 2007 8:16PM
Partially OT, but is it possible to have some sort of directional force feedback in a controller that isin't tethered to anything? So you know, I'm referring to the Wiimote and future spawn of, since it would be most useful in that sort of controller. Example: In RedSteel (i know, crappy game), if you hit something with your sword, your controller gives a nudge in the direction you were swinging.
SeanP @ Jan 5th 2007 8:29PM
SONY is shooting a bullet in its own left feet, I wish you could try the xbox360 force feedback wheel ! i almost had an orgasm !
Being a racing game fan, if it's true, I'll most definitely never buy a PS3.
I can't believe they actually said so ...
Marlos Hill @ Jan 5th 2007 9:09PM
Sony's making it so hard... jeeeeezzzz
Master Foot @ Jan 5th 2007 9:14PM
Sony, would you just pay Immersion!! Oh wait, SCEA is already in the RED, they can't AFFORD to! I would be pissed as shit if I bought the $150 GT racing wheel and I can't even use it on the PS3. I guess the people at Gran Turismo cannot use the catch phrase "The real driving simulator" anymore...you can't feel the detailed bumps in the road that the "Cell" worked so hard to render.
Andy @ Jan 5th 2007 9:44PM
Why isn't this considered a PS3 annoyance?
j0mb13 @ Jan 5th 2007 10:01PM
Maybe the PS3's communication between it's wireless controllers is not bidirectional to suport getting data to the controller for the feedback system? Which is deff not a good thing... just throwing that out there.
BlackMagix @ Jan 5th 2007 10:32PM
Can I just say I speculated this in July
http://www.forzacentral.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13972&highlight=gran+turismo+force+feedback
Cuddlefish @ Jan 5th 2007 10:49PM
Force feedback wheels are so last gen. Sony wants you steering your car by holding the sixaxis like a steering wheel.
Diman @ Jan 5th 2007 11:10PM
Lol look at all these comments. I should stop coming to this site, it lost all credibility it ever had.
ubiquityman @ Jan 5th 2007 11:28PM
The slow, but sure demise of the PS3.
Tom @ Jan 5th 2007 11:30PM
I wonder...
if Sony allowed 3rd party peripherals to have force feedback with 1st party games or even 3rd party games, would they be in breech of the court discision that basically says "if you want force feedback then you gotta pay Immersion"?
Darren Tilley @ Jan 5th 2007 11:31PM
This is bunk for the following reasons.
A little investigation reveals that Ridge Racer 6 has force feedback when used with the Driving Force Pro.
Polyphony have stated multiple times that the wheel will be fully supported.
IGN themselves have played the GTHD demo with a force feedback wheel, specifically noting the vast difference when switching to a rumble-free controller.
Bunk, Bunk, Bunk
Darren Tilley @ Jan 5th 2007 11:33PM
Forgot a link
http://boardsus.playstation.com/playstation/board/message?board.id=ridgeracer&thread.id=427
mesocool @ Jan 5th 2007 11:39PM
Hey Diman....its not just this site. They are all jumping down Sonys throat! Especially gamepro,gamestop, and IGN! ughhh
GDUB @ Jan 5th 2007 11:46PM
This is very bad news. As GT5 is the only reason for me to get a PS$$$ no force feedback is a deal breaker. I will continue playing gt4 on the old PS2 and play forza with Ms's new force feedback wheel.
Sony u lost my money unless you fix this major oversight.
Vanishing $$$$
mesocool @ Jan 5th 2007 11:57PM
Hye blackmagix I guess I have to admit you called it!
Steve2 @ Jan 5th 2007 11:50PM
This story was debunked before joystiq published it. Need For Speed: Carbon on PS3 does force Feedback on the Driving Force Pro (GT4) wheel already. As in already in the store.
This information is inaccurate.
Cuja @ Jan 6th 2007 1:16AM
With EA that's hard to believe. They put out racing games claiming wheel support. What Madcatz? Logitech Pro? MS Racing wheel? Maybe rumble but no true force feedback which makes it far from simulation. When it comes to EA, stick the with gamepad.
ElCapitanAmerica @ Jan 6th 2007 2:48AM
Can Joystick update or clarify this story, it seems force feedback is supported after all as mentioned by several readers. Any chance the story is updated?
uberism @ Jan 6th 2007 3:12AM
isn't gran turismo 4 already out? Why can't someone who has the game and a wheel confirm that it does indeed have force feedback.
Aex @ Jan 6th 2007 3:46AM
I agree that this is completely crap. It was quickly debunked as well. BUT, had GT5 not supported a force-feedback wheel, GT4 would have been the last GT I would have bought. I can understand no rumble in a controller, its just not that important, on the other hand, no force feedback in a racing wheel is a HUGE deal. Good think this is just another case of Sony-hating-rumor-mongering :)
wagalaka @ Jan 6th 2007 4:41AM
Ahahaha, that's not showing any bias ;)
SONY won't support FF. Third party developers already support it on the PS3.
Sana @ Jan 6th 2007 7:54AM
It was mentioned briefly already, but next time you go to EB, have a look at the Logitech FF wheels. The force feedback is licensed from Immersion.
So does Sony not being willing to settle mean that the PS3 cant use the tech at ALL (so the article is correct) or just Sony hardware cant use it (so GT with Logitech wheel would be OK).
Does anybody know if FF works fine with GT4 when played on a PS3?
EuroLamer @ Jan 6th 2007 10:18AM
No joypad gives force feedback. To exert a force on you it would have to be attached to a sturdy object. A joypad can only rumble.
Steering wheels on the other hand, as they are placed on top of/clamped to a solid object (desk, table, floor, whatever) can offer force feedback.
I'd expect a games journalist to know the difference, but then this is Joystiq.
Kill Jebus @ Jan 6th 2007 12:09PM
Why is force feedback being confused with Immersion Technologies patented rumble motors? I do not understand how you can patent a rumble motor but that is for another day. The GT force wheels were designed by Kazunori Yamauchi at Polyphony Digital before the release of GT2. he did this because he did not like that there were no wheels out there that simulated the steering wheel wanting to allways keep the front wheels straight just like in a real car. This is his design, his force feedback, not Imersion's. I think that the SCEA spokesman does not understand what he is saying. Force feedback and Rumble are two completely different and unrelated things.
When I was in the industry I can remember more than one time where I had to correct an misinformed or ignorant SCEA spokesperson/educator for vendors. For example I would ask them something simple like how is this game coming along and they would look at me with this puzzled look and tell me that they have no idea what I am talking about.
SCEA spokespeople for the most part would come to meetings with vendors with prepared statements and not much else so I would not take too seriously what a SCEA spokesperson says.
What this site and others like it should do is go talk to Kaz and ask him directly about this.
In the meantime....I will borrow my buddy's GT Force wheel and use it with the GTHD demo from Sony's Playstation store and see if Force feedback is there.
Just to let you know, the demo controller options show all four of the Gt Wheels in detail and also allow you to configure each of them.
I will let you know of the outcome of this the next time a post similar to this or one about GT surfaces on this site.
Until then
Praise be the FSM
Praise be the Beer Volcano
Praise be the Stripper Factory
and most importantly.....
May all of you come to know the FSM and be touched by his Noodly Appendage
Stop global warming.....become a pirate...venganzadotorg
Tootles
noob @ Jan 7th 2007 1:06AM
i hope for sonys own sake this isn't true. if a game like GT4 (and soon to be 5), which is the only good exclusive series (in my opinion) for the sony playstation series of consoles, doesn't have the FORCE FEEDBACK wheel, someone at sony has made a fatal mistake.
competition is good for everyone so i am really disappointed in the ps3's performance thus far, it better pick up soon!
that being said i have no desire to get a PS3 anyways since there aren't enough good exclusive games to pull me away from my 360. but this indeed could be a potentially bad blow for prospective customers.
Keil Joy @ Jan 8th 2007 5:57PM
sony should have just paid Immersion the freakin money and moved on.. now they're trying to make it sound cool to have no rumnble support/vibration functionality for their controllers. STOP BEING SO F'N HARD HEADED, SONY!!
however, Sony still can't lose!
goose1973 @ Jan 13th 2007 3:18AM
just tried GT4 with my driving force wheel which works great on the PS2. and i am sorry to say that it does not work with GT4 or the GTHD demo. i am really sick about this. if this is true that the wheels are going to get no support PS3 is going back for a 360. What am i paying for?
ken @ Feb 10th 2007 11:36AM
Original Message Follows:
-------------------------
Consumer Name: Consumer Email:
Model Number: N/A
Message from Consumer:
does the ps3 support forces feedback in racing wheels and games?
yes or no
Hi Ken,
Thank you for writing us.
The PLAYSTATION(R)3 computer entertainment system comes with a SIXAXIS(TM) wireless controller. The
multi-axis motion sensing system found in the new SIXAXIS controller employs technology that
provides for seamless interactive operation, thus eliminating additional settings to TVs. With this
system, users are able to maneuver the controller as a natural extension of their bodies, all in
real-time and with high-precision.
Please note, although you may have seen images where the "PS" button on the SIXAXIS wireless
controller appears to be lit, the "PS" button does not actually illuminate, and this is completely
normal.
For more information regarding the SIXAXIS wireless controller please visit the following URL.
http://www.us.playstation.com/PS3/Using/WirelessController
We apologize for any inconvenience, however, peripherals that plug into the controller ports of the
PlayStation(R)(PSone(TM)) console and PlayStation(R)2 computer entertainment system are not
compatible with the PLAYSTATION(R)3 computer entertainment system. We do not have information
regarding any adapters that will allow those peripherals to work on the PLAYSTATION(R)3 system. For
more information regarding the PLAYSTATION(R)3 computer entertainment system please visit:
http://www.us.playstation.com/PS3
If you have further questions regarding this message, please refer to your email case
number:4239425.
Regards,
Jim
Multimedia Representative
Sony Computer Entertainment America
Consumer Services Department
Additional Support Resources
---------------------------------------------
PlayStationcom Knowledge Base: Browse through hundreds of helpful FAQ articles at our Knowledge
Base at PlayStation.com. To begin, please click on http://playstation.custhelp.com
PlayStation.com Support Page: You will find helpful content divided by our PlayStation(R) product
lines. Please visit http://www.us.playstation.com/Support and select the PlayStation product of
your choice to learn more.