The Dual Shock 3. (Not to be confused with the Sixaxis or Dual Shock 2)

　　TOKYO--Following widespread rumors and leaks, today Sony Computer Entertainment president Kaz Hirai unveiled the Dual Shock 3 controller for the PlayStation 3. As had been widely rumored, the controller will feature the same rumble technology Sony had initially dismissed as "last-gen" when the tilt-sensitive Sixaxis was first shown off in 2006. Its announcement comes six months after Sony and Immersion Corporation agreed to cooperate after a lengthy--and costly--legal battle over the Dual Shock 2's force-feedback tech.

　　The good news is that, despite some confusion, the Dual Shock 3 will feature both rumble and the tilt-sensing functionality. The bad news is when it goes on sale in Japan in November and in North America and Europe in early 2008, it will be sold separately from the PlayStation 3. Gamers whose memories stretch back to the mid-1990s will remember Sony applied a similar strategy when introducing the original Dual Shock following the release of the original PlayStation. From day one, though, the PlayStation 2 came equipped with a Dual Shock 2 controller.

　　As of press time, Sony had not revealed pricing for the Dual Shock 3 in any territory. However, one thing Sony was forthcoming about was the list of PS3 games that will support force feedback. Dozens of games are already compatible with the controller weeks before the peripheral hits the market, with many more being supported via software updates from the PlayStation Network. (A full list of the games can be found at the bottom of this article.)

　　Immediately following Harai's TGS keynote address, new signs started appearing around several different game stations at Sony's TGS booth to indicate stations equipped with the Dual Shock 3 controller. The Ratchet & Clank and Metal Gear Solid 4 stations were just some of the kiosks featuring the telltale black-and-white controller image with radiating motion lines.

　　GameSpot took the new peripheral for a spin to see how it handled. The most noticeable thing about the controller is its weight because the rotor-less Sixaxis always felt a little light. On the other hand, the Dual Shock 3 has a comforting amount of heft, feeling much like the highly prized Dual Shock 2.

　　The Dual Shock 3's rumble was a touch weak but stuck close to PlayStation 2's force feedback. The prototype version of the controller at Sony's booth lacked any distinctive markings, looking just like a standard Sixaxis with a "Dual Shock 3" decal on the front.

　　Check out GameSpot's ongoing coverage of the 2007 Tokyo Game Show for previews of games, such as Metal Gear Solid 4, which feature the Dual Shock 3's rumble functionality.

　　PLAYSTATION 3 TITLES COMPATIBLE WITH DUAL SHOCK 3 IN NORTH AMERICA AND EUROPE (as of 9/20/07):

　　Assassin's Creed / Ubisoft

　　Beowulf / Ubisoft

　　BlackSite: Area 51 / Midway

　　Blast Factor * / Sony Computer Entertainment

　　Burnout Paradise / Electronic Arts

　　Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena / Vivendi Games

　　Club / Sega

　　Condemned 2 / Sega

　　Cops (Codename, Title Name TBD) Pyro

　　Crucible / Sega

　　Dark Sector / D3Publisher

　　Darkness / 2K Games

　　Destroy All Humans 3 THQ

　　Devil May Cry 4 / Capcom

　　Dynasty Warriors 6 / Koei

　　Echochrome / Sony Computer Entertainment

　　Elefunk / Sony Computer Entertainment

　　Enemy Territory: Quake Wars / Activision

　　Fatal Inertia / Koei

　　FIFA Franchise (Title Name TBD) / Electronic Arts

　　Folklore* / Sony Computer Entertainment

　　Formula One Championship Edition* / Sony Computer Entertainment

　　Girpshift / Sony Online Entertainment

　　Go! Sports Ski* / Sony Computer Entertainment

　　Haze / Ubisoft

　　Heavenly Sword* / Sony Computer Entertainment

　　Heroes Over Europe / Red Mile Entertainment

　　High Velocity Bowling / Sony Computer Entertainment

　　Highlander / Eidos

　　Incredible Hulk / Sega

　　Iron Man / Sega

　　Kane & Lynch: Dead Men / Eidos

　　Legendary: The Box / Gamecock

　　Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots / Konami

　　MLB 08: The Show / Sony Computer Entertainment

　　MotorStorm* / Sony Computer Entertainment

　　NBA 08* / Sony Computer Entertainment

　　NBA 2K8 / Take Two Sports

　　N-Cube / Creat Studios

　　PAIN / Sony Computer Entertainment

　　Planet One (Codename, Title Name TBD) Pyro

　　Prototype / Vivendi Games

　　RAGE / Id Software

　　Rat Race / Sony Computer Entertainment

　　Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction / Sony Computer Entertainment

　　Resident Evil 5 / Capcom

　　Resistance: Fall of Man* / Sony Computer Entertainment

　　Snakeball / Sony Computer Entertainment

　　SOCOM: Confrontation / Sony Computer Entertainment

　　Soldier of Fortune / Activision

　　Stuntman Ignition / THQ

　　Super Stardust HD* / Sony Computer Entertainment

　　TNA Wrestling / Midway

　　To End All Wars / Ghostlight

　　Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2* / Ubisoft

　　Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas* / Ubisoft

　　Toy Home / Sony Computer Entertainment

　　Turok / Disney Interactive

　　Uncharted: Drake's Fortune / Sony Computer Entertainment

　　Unreal Tournament 3 / Midway

　　Warbit / Creat Studios

　　Wardevil: Unleash the Beast Within / Ignition Entertainment

　　Warhawk* / Sony Computer Entertainment

　　Wheelman / Midway

　　Wipeout HD / Sony Computer Entertainment

　　LIST OF PLAYSTATION 3 TITLES COMPATIBLE WITH DUAL SHOCK 3 IN JAPAN (as of 9/20/07):

　　Vampire Rain: Altered Species / AQ INTERACTIVE Inc.

　　BIOHAZARD 5 (Resident Evil 5) / Capcom

　　Blast Factor* / Sony Computer Entertainment

　　Bumpy Trot 2 / Irem Software.

　　Burnout Paradise / Electronic Arts

　　Dark Sector / D3Publisher.

　　Devil May Cry 4 / Capcom

　　Dynasty Warriors 6 / Koei

　　Echochrome / Sony Computer Entertainment

　　Fatal Inertia / Koei

　　FIFA Franchise (Title Name TBD) / Electronic Arts

　　Folklore* / Sony Computer Entertainment

　　Formula One Championship Edition* / Sony Computer Entertainment

　　GI JOCKEY 4 2007 / Koei

　　Go! Sports Ski* / Sony Computer Entertainment

　　Heavenly Sword* / Sony Computer Entertainment

　　IMABIKISOU / Sega

　　Metal Gear Online / Konami

　　Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots / Konami

　　MotorStorm* / Sony Computer Entertainment

　　Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction / Sony Computer Entertainment

　　Resistance: Fall of Man* / Sony Computer Entertainment

　　Super Stardust HD* / Sony Computer Entertainment

　　TOY HOME / Sony Computer Entertainment

　　Uncharted: Drake's Fortune / Sony Computer Entertainment

　　Warhawk* / Sony Computer Entertainment

　　* = Titles will be given rumble functionality through a PlayStation Store software update.