by Peter Cohen, Macworld.com  

Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA) on Wednesday announced that it is shipping its DualShock 3 game controller for the PlayStation 3 game console this week for $54.99.

The Dualshock 3 looks and operates identically to the Sixaxis game controller Sony ships with the PlayStation 3, but includes “rumble” capabilities, a feature that’s been missing from the Sixaxis controller since Sony first released the PS3. The controller can shake and vibrate in coordination with what’s happening in the game.

The controller works both with new and old games alike. Games that support rumble (or will support rumble following an update) include:

• Formula One Championship Edition
• MotorStorm
• PAIN
• High Velocity Bowling
• MLB 08: The Show
• Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune
• Resistance: Fall of Man
• Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction
• Go! Sports Ski
• Folklore
• Heavenly Sword
• Warhawk
• Super Stardust HD
• Snakeball
• Toy Home
• PSOne Emulation
• Piyotama
• PixelJunk Monsters
• Blast Factor
• Condemned 2: Bloodshot
• Lost: Via Domus
• Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Vegas 2
• Burnout Paradise
• Dynasty Warriors 6
• Devil May Cry 4
• DragonBall Z Burst Limit
• Turok

Sony excised rumble features from the Sixaxis controller when it first released the PlayStation 3, a decision that upset some gamers who were accustomed to the DualShock controllers included with previous PlayStation models. Sony’s decision was made in the wake of ongoing litigation with Immersion Corp., a haptics manufacturer that claimed that Sony infringed their patents.

Sony and Immersion finally settled in March, 2007, paving the way for the new DualShock 3 controller. Sony announced plans in February to release the DualShock 3 in North America in April.