This Is Why Playstation Fans Couldn't Stand The Sixaxis Controller
Before there was DualSense, there was DualShock. PlayStation fans will know that since the late '90s, Sony's line of PlayStation home consoles have been accompanied by its signature DualShock controllers with vibration feedback, button pads on the arms, and two analog sticks at the center. Until the PlayStation 5's totally-revamped DualSense controller changed the game with a brand new look and haptic feedback, Sony remained pretty consistent with the DualShock line. The company did attempt to branch out once, though, with 2006's Sixaxis controller.
The Sixaxis came between the DualShock 2 and DualShock 3. Sony introduced the Sixaxis controller at E3 2006 and gave fans the opportunity to try it out, which led to some mixed feedback. At first glance, it may be difficult to notice the differences between the Sixaxis and its successor, but those who got a chance to test the new controller knew right away that there was one major thing they didn't like.
What's a PlayStation controller without rumble?
Although the Sixaxis controller looked similar in size, color, and shape to its predecessor, the DualShock 2, it felt much lighter. As it turned out, this was because the rumble technology of previous Sony controllers was replaced by an integrated gyroscope. As showcased in a Warhawk demonstration during E3 2006, the Sixaxis had six degrees of motion controls.
Sony provided two reasons for removing rumble: it would interfere with the gyroscope, and the company felt that rumble technology was a "last-gen feature," anyway. Fans did not agree. In a GameSpot forum about why people disliked Sony's Sixaxis controller, user goblaa wrote that the shape was uncomfortable and the analog sticks were in "the same uncomfortable place" as previous controllers. "It's really light and feels cheap," they wrote. Plus, someone who tried out the Sixaxis at E3 reported that the R2 and L2 buttons "felt like they were about to fall off."
Thankfully, those who didn't enjoy the gyroscopic Sixaxis controller didn't have to live with it for too long. Two years later, Sony introduced the DualShock 3, which brought back the rumble technology that fans love today, even in the PS5's DualSense controller.