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Sony Patents Innovative “Hybrid Separable Motion Controller”

This makes a whole lot of logical sense, doesn't it? We just hope the mechanics of it are sound.

It seems Sony might be planning to combine the standard Dual Shock controller with the new motion-sensing PlayStation Move technology. This "Hybrid Separable Motion Controller" has been patented after a filing in May 2011.

The images show a combination of Sony's traditional gamepad and the Move, and available information indicates features like a "magnetometer" and an "accelerometer," plus vibration support and audio playback through an embedded speaker. However, they wouldn't be able to jam it all on there; the PlayStation Eye would still be necessary for the Move aspect of this hybrid. There's also a chance that all games will be able to detect if the separable controller is split in two or not.

Right now, it could be interesting to assume this nifty new controller will debut with the next generation; i.e., maybe it'll be the default gamepad for the PS4. But at this point, we can only guess, so…

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newchef
newchef
11 years ago

i kind hope it isnt the default controller for the ps4, i feel like that would be heavy and bulky…i would rather the plain controller and would rather not pay extra for it -_-

bigrailer19
bigrailer19
11 years ago

Id rather this not be something that comes as a default controller. I certainly hope that this doesn't mean Sony will push for most games to utilize any aspect of the motion part.

This is neat, and could work great, but I'd feel better knowing it's optional.

daus26
daus26
11 years ago

I personally don't know. If it's comfortable, I don't see why not with it being the default controller. Assumingly it'll be bulky, heavy, or take a chunk of battery power, but who knows, it might not be any of that.

Vivi_Gamer
Vivi_Gamer
11 years ago

Do what you will, just please give us the option to keep the standard Analogue controller, we've had it for 3 generations for a reason.

jimmyhandsome
jimmyhandsome
11 years ago

Looks like motion controls are here for the long haul

slugga_status
slugga_status
11 years ago

Just doesn't look or sound like something I'd be interested in. I have big hands and needless to say the orbs would be in the way. As long as the standard controller is a option I'll be fine

Huey
Huey
11 years ago

The snap together part bothers me. If any of you are like me, my controllers go through crap. Not throwing or anything like that, but mashing and twisting. Especially if the game is intense

thedaini
thedaini
11 years ago

Those orbs look odd like that. Hopefully they can shrink them or somewhat eliminate them for motion controls on the PS4.

AcHiLLiA
AcHiLLiA
11 years ago

Judging by the pic, the orbs look like they will interfere with the R1/R2 buttons. Hope they don't move them in another position, big hands I have. Want I want Sony to do, is come up with a little bigger Dualshock controller for the bigger hands. That snap part bothers me to, playing a intense game using the sixaxis, I don't want any moving parts getting loose.

BikerSaint
BikerSaint
11 years ago

Well, if it really does become the standard, at least you can always boast..

"My controller has a big pair of balls"

Huey
Huey
11 years ago

Ha…Good one

dmiitrie
dmiitrie
11 years ago

As others have said, I hope that something like stays an option and doesn't become the standard. If I wanted a gimmicky, awkward controller, I'd buy a Nintendo.

BikerSaint
BikerSaint
11 years ago

For some reason this controller somewhat reminds me of an old 3rd party auto racing controller I have in my collection that was made for the PS1, called the Namco Neocon.

And although it didn't split apart, both the L & R sided half's did twist up & down separately & opposite of each other as the controller's steering function.

BTW, here's a picture of it with a small description that I found on the web.

FYI: just scroll down a little past the 1/2 way mark to where it says "The Sony PlayStation I Joypad" & it's the second picture that shows an off-white controller with a odd upraised side-coin edged center…

http://www.gifford.co.uk/~coredump/gpad.htm

telly
telly
11 years ago

Officially starting to get REALLY excited for the next year — the first half of the year is positively loaded with some of my most anticipated titles of this gen (Aliens: Colonial Marines, have I got high hopes for you…) and the second half will likely bring us new hardware that is surely going to knock our socks off. 2013 is going to be one for the video game history books.

Temjin001
Temjin001
11 years ago

It's a good idea but look how retarded the standard controller would look. Our DS3's would have two bright colored balls above them the whole time just by playing regular games. meh, oh well.

Comic Shaman
Comic Shaman
11 years ago

Hey, what's up with the directional pad? I really prefer the four-button pad rather than the disc-style that the X360 controller uses. Hope they don't switch over.

erislocker
erislocker
11 years ago

Am i the only one that actually thinks this is a genius idea?
Make it heavy enough to feel sturdy, but light enough to be comfortable to use it extensively.

This way, we don't have to buy a Move controller separately, AND we still have the same feel as the old controller (when clicked together).

It's not to be seen as an additional controller, but rather an advancement of the Dualshock 3. Probably the "Dualshock 4"

I, for one, like it.

Jed
Jed
11 years ago

"Hey Dualshock," *whispers* "Your balls are showing. BUMBLEBEE TUNA!"

Rogueagent01
Rogueagent01
11 years ago

As long as it is an option I don't mind at all, but please keep the dualshock as the standard. I am always up for options but I also like tested and true.

jugheadjones
jugheadjones
11 years ago

I'm holding judgement until they actually show us the stuff, but it just sounds wrong.

Sol
Sol
11 years ago

I'd complain about this being one of my ideas, but honestly I couldn't make it a reality given my standing. I'm just happy it'll finally come into existence… hopefully. I still haven't finished working out the kinks in my design though, so hopefully they'll improve on some areas I thought were an issue.

Lawless SXE
Lawless SXE
11 years ago

Maybe if the LED lights were shrunk from that image to just sit as the bar between the shoulder buttons, perhaps raised slightly above them? Sound design otherwise, aside from the fact that I don't think I'd be able to stop the controller from slipping out of my hands if I was swinging it around from just one of the grips that it has now… They're too short for that kind of thing but lengthen them and it just becomes unwieldy. Maybe a return to the boomerang design would help?

Other than that… Looks as though Sony is desirous of making motion control a standard going forward, without having offered any really great examples of how it can work convincingly for the core gamer. With the exception of first person shooters, its utilisation is just too gimmicky. And I hope that Sony doesn't pull a Nintendo and necessitate a tablet peripheral for the PS4… the idea of that is just ridiculous and unnecessary.

dmiitrie
dmiitrie
11 years ago

While my ultimate preference would be to simply have a standard controller continue to be the norm. The tablet would be much better than motion control; it would at least be something that's actually still new. The Wii proved that the motion control gimmick can only last so long and, as you've pointed out, neither the Kinect nor the Move have shown any significant advances outside of FPSs.

CrusaderForever
CrusaderForever
11 years ago

I guarantee you this is just to replace the Move. We'll get Dual Shock 4 for the PS4. The left side of the controller is what I use with Move now because I don't own a navigation controller. This is cool, but I don't want this to be the default PS4 controller. Have this in addition to DS4.

Temjin001
Temjin001
11 years ago

I'd honestly probably play shooters again. Like the ORIGINAL before fps tps shooters. Virtua Cop, Time Crisis, HotD etc

LegendaryWolfeh
LegendaryWolfeh
11 years ago

And then the problem when games require you to have the controller together or else it keeps you on a pause menu and the controller malfunctions and either always shows it's in separate mode or it won't fit perfectly together.

___________
___________
11 years ago

not really sure we need this.
eh, whatever as long as they dont force it on people and still let us use our traditional DS3.
really hoping M$ and $ony go for a tablet controller like the wiiu has, at first i thought it was a bit unnecessary and distracting, but it actually does come in handy.

oh, and one more thing change the shape and extend the triggers!
i wish $ony would go for a more rounded controller like the 360 is its SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO much more comfortable to hold!
and extend the triggers so their a bit longer, and add a small lip to the ends so your fingers dont slip off.

Anonymous
Anonymous
11 years ago

They should bundle one half with the PS4 but make you pay for the other half hahahaha. That would be hilarious!

xenris
xenris
11 years ago

I still think motion control is a huge gimmick, to me it is like 3D in that right now it doesn't add anything to the gameplay for me. In fact it largely hinders it especially 3D ugh I hate it.

I think that if the PS3 ships with this that is cool, but only if they take a page from nintendo and all the DS3 controllers work on the PS4. Otherwise it's going to take a lot of convincing to get me to buy into this.

Just give me a console with more power right now and I would be happy. The DS controller has worked well for the better part of 10 years why change what works?

duomaxwell007
duomaxwell007
11 years ago

now thats how it should be done… Im so not used to detached controllers.. I feel weird trying to use a nunchuck and wiimote separate from eachother cause im used to controllers being one big thing close together (thank god for classic controller)

Douchebaguette
Douchebaguette
11 years ago

I'm rarely judgemental, but that concept just looks and sounds ridiculous.

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