Nyko beats Sony to PS3 rumble controller release
Zero ships ahead of DualShock 3
The impending Western release of Sony’s DualShock 3 controller has been overshadowed by accessory maker Nyko, which has unveiled a shockingly similar looking rumble controller for the PS3 just weeks before Sony’s official offering goes on sale in the US.
Sony has already confirmed that the long-awaited DualShock 3 will be released in the US on 15 April, but Nyko’s Zero PS3 is already available from its website.
Nyko's Zero PS3: rumbles in ahead of Sony's DualShock 3
The Zero PS3 isn’t perhaps as stylish as Sony’s controller, but Zero has the core requirement nailed down: wireless connectivity and rumble gaming. It’s also got backlit LED buttons, which should be useful during late-night gaming sessions, and a battery pack that provides up to 25 hours of gaming time, Nyko claimed.
The controller works at up to 30 feet away from the PS3 and there are three colour options to choose from: black, white and silver.
The DualShock 3 controller will be available as a separate unit or can be bought with a special Metal Gear Solid 4 80GB PS3 bundle pack, which will be released in the US during Q2 for $499 (£249/€299). A UK release of the bundle hasn't been announced.
Nyko’s Zero wireless controller is available online for $60 (£30/€45), whereas Sony’s DualShock 3 is expected to cost about $5 more.
COMMENTS
@but it's shite..
Mmm... USB based. Sounds like it's better suited for PCs.
I've been looking all over for a good wireless gamepad to go with the media center PC. Looks like this may be it.
> It kinda looks like the god-awful XBOX controller, the big-ass version.
Big-ass is good, at least for me. The pain and cramps that I get from using the smallish gamepads of the DS Lite takes the fun out of everything (I still love my DS Lite tho). Yes, my hands are that big.
junk
The author of the article claims that this Nyko is "shockingly similar looking"
Only if the shock is that it looks nothing like the Dualshock design. this Nyko is far uglier.
combined with the lack of PS button and the use of a usb dongle make this utterly pointless.
However, I assume the author of the article isn't a serious console gamer - the "backlit LED buttons, which should be useful during late-night gaming sessions" will, in fact, be of no use late at night - if you don't know where the buttons are on the controller by that time of night, you should give up and go to sleep.
(and also, as we all know, if you're gaming that late, you should at least have one other source of ambient lighting on as well as the tv otherwise you'll send yourself blind and everyone will assume you were playing with yourself in a totally different way)
Isn't it...
Hey, doesn't that controller look strangely familiar?
It kinda looks like the god-awful XBOX controller, the big-ass version. I think I pass, I'll wait for the official one.
Am I missing the point?
I've never really seen the point of vibrating controllers - they just make the game harder to play. It might bestow you with an unfair advantage if you're playing against your mates and you palm the shaky controllers on to them but why handicap yourself? Especially if you're playing online against some cocky 12 year old. It will end in mooned arses, I tell you!
Mooned arse and a vibrating toy? It has to be PH!
Lazy crap from Nyko
Oh goodie yet another IR dongle to lose. Did these people even realize that the 40GB model only has two USB ports?
Seriously, how hard can it be to do Bluetooth in a game controller? Every frickin' cheap ass bluetooth headset works just fine. What's so hard about a bluetooth enabled controller? Logitech? What you can't do it? Are you serious? Nyko? ditto. Sheer laziness.
