A new patent picked up today suggests that Sony are at least potentially working on a new kind of videogame controller that’s a hybrid of two PlayStation Move sticks and a regular DualShock, bring them together into one snap-apart mashup.
The patent was published yesterday [available here as a PDF] and calls it a “hybrid separable motion controller” and is assigned to SCEA, so it’s definitely intended for Sony.
One of the drawings in the PDF shows the components hidden inside the handle – magnetometer, accelerometers, gyros, vibration function and a speaker.
The orbs can also light up, just like those on the Move.
It’ll also require a camera, according to the filing, and games can detect whether the controller is split into two or not and then prompt the user to adjust the setup accordingly.
Whether or not this is for PS3 or PS4 (or indeed, intended for real world use at all) is anyone’s guess – the PDF shows a Cell/RSX configuration on one slide, which suggests this is a current generation device rather than anything more fanciful.
Update: apologies, this was filed in May 2011, albeit only recently published.
freezebug2
Jeez, that looks like something that Ann Summers threw together during the recession on a lean period, portable spit-roaster?
Kevling
Hmmm… Sounds familiar?
http://www.thesixthaxis.com/2008/06/14/new-ps3-controller-coming/
Yes, 2008!
Stef Nighthawk
To me it looks like a patent to reduce costs on the PS4 package.
To have as much developers design for all possible control methods. The PS4 package would need to have the console, a DS3 controller, a move controller, a navigation controller and a camera.
With the design from the patent they could eliminate two items from that package.