Sixaxis
Sixaxis wireless controller
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| Developer | SCEI |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Sony |
| Type | Video game controller |
| Generation | Seventh generation era |
| Retail availability | November 11, 2006 |
| Input |
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| Connectivity | USB, Bluetooth (PlayStation 3 and PSP Go) |
| Power | 3.7 V Li-ion battery, USB host powered |
| Dimensions | 157 mm × 95 mm × 55 mm 6.18 in × 3.74 in × 2.16 in |
| Weight | 137.1 g 4.83 oz |
| Predecessor | DualShock 2 |
| Successor | DualShock 3 |
Sixaxis (trademarked SIXAXIS) is a wireless gamepad produced by Sony for their PlayStation 3 video game console. It was introduced alongside the PlayStation 3 in 2006 and remained the console's official controller until 2008. The Sixaxis was succeeded by the DualShock 3, an updated version of the controller that, like the DualShock and DualShock 2 controllers, incorporates haptic technology – also known as force feedback. A Sixaxis controller can also be used with Sony's PSP Go via Bluetooth after registering the controller on a PlayStation 3 console.
The DualShock 3 was originally intended to be bundled with the PlayStation 3 in time for the console's launch. However, Sony was in the midst of appealing a decision from a 2004 lawsuit involving patent infringement claimed by Immersion. The two companies were at odds over the haptic feedback technology used in earlier PlayStation controllers. The legal battle led to a decision to remove the vibration capabilities from the PS3 controller's initial design, which became known as Sixaxis.
The term "sixaxis" is also used to refer to the motion-sensing technology in PlayStation 3 controllers. It is a contraction of "six axis", which refers to the ability to sense motion in all axes of the six degrees of freedom. The name is a misnomer because there are only three axes: X, Y, and Z, which allows six degrees of freedom. It is also a palindrome.
At E3 2005, Sony showcased their "boomerang" design for the PlayStation 3's controller. Accompanied by much criticism, most of which were for its looks, this design was later abandoned. Sony later stated that the original controller "was very clearly designed as a design concept, and was never intended to be the final controller, despite what everybody said about it".
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