More Rumble Enabled Gaming Controllers

It was the Nintendo 64’s ‘Rumble Pak’ add-on that brought vibrations to gamers for the first time in 1997 but now vibrating controllers are common on all major systems. It’s no longer done via an add-on accessory though and force feedback has become such a standard that its inside the controller itself now. So as well as the circuit boards there are DC motors inside the plastic casing of your favourite video game controller.

Controllers for the different PlayStation and Xbox consoles over the last few years have included motors in their controllers to give players physical feedback. It’s worth noting though that the PlayStation3 controller originally didn't have a vibration feature and this was seen as unusual as all other controllers to date had. Sony claimed it was due to the six-axis motion control feature which was new to the controller. This was changed a short time later though as Sony managed to fit the motors into the controller along with the six-axis to give gamers motion and force feedback gaming.

PlayStation 3 with built-in rumble

The plug-in DS 'Rumble Pak'

There have still been a few add-on style vibrators similar to the ‘Rumble Pak’ in recent years though, again from Nintendo. The handheld DS had its own ‘Rumble Pak’ which was plugged into the Game Boy cartridge port and allowed portable gamers to feel the rumbles of their games.

So next time your racing along the track in your favourite racing game and feeling every bump of the track in your hand with the force feedback, remember it's all thanks to the DC motors working there magic inside.