I was one of those guys out there on launch day for a PS3 in November ‘06. I had a blast doing it, as I met a lot of really cool people and ultimately (due to the PS3-frenzy of the time) ended up working out enough deals that my PS3 was free (Thank God for ebay!) I ran home like most folks and immediately played Resistance: Fall of Man and was generally having a good time (without the buyer’s remorse of just shelling out $600+ on a new system with an extreme scarcity of great games.) It didn’t take too long for me to notice the relative… what’s the word?… “craptacularity” of the SIXAXIS, or as I called it, the SUXAXIS controller.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s not the motion controls I dislike, I rather like them… it was the crappy build quality, the “cheesy” feel, and absolutely most importantly… the fact that they occasionally would “freeze” doing whatever you were doing for a second or two. If you were turning, your game would continue turning for up to 2 seconds whether you intended to or not. I initially attributed this to wireless interference and kept playing, wondering in the back of my mind why I couldn’t remember my 360’s controller ever doing that…
I figured I might have gotten a bad controller, knowing that even the best built products occasionally have issues. I took note of the serial number on the controller and started primarily using my other controller. It didn’t take long to realize that in fact BOTH of my controllers were doing this. I lost several lives playing through Ratchet & Clank Future due to SUXAXIS screw-ups. At my house, it became a fairly common occurrence for someone playing the PS3 to say “Controller?!?!” with a rather irritated tone and then die (in game of course!) Fortunately, most of the games I’d been playing had unlimited re-tries, so it’s not as if I’d lost a lot of progress, I’d just been highly irritated.
As the PS3’s popularity picked up, I could still easily find reports online of other folks experiencing the same problem but the problem didn’t seem to be getting worse as the install base grew. That led me to hypothesize two likely possibilities; one not so bad, and one VERY bad. Either both of the SUXAXIS controllers I bought were crap and replacing them would take care of the problem, or whatever Bluetooth antenna the PS3 used was crap and no matter what controller(s) I bought, the issue would remain until I replaced my PS3.
Over the next few months, multiple new FCC filings came out for PS3 models that had tweaks to the internal antennas and I have to be honest, those updates didn’t instill any confidence that I’d eventually get rid of this problem. Neither my initial Sony warranty, nor my Best Buy extended warranty could help either.
So, now what?
Finally, the time had come. Sony released the DUALSHOCK3 controller to the US this past week and I picked one up last weekend. Upon taking it out of the package, it was immediately apparent the controller felt more… substantial… it had a bit more weight to it. The plastic wasn’t see through (which I felt always made the SUXAXIS look cheap because you could see everything in it and it sure didn’t LOOK like a $50 product.) It didn’t squeak when you applied the slightest twisting motion like the SUXAXIS did either. Those were all great new attributes to the new controller, but if it didn’t PERFORM better, who really cared?
I wasn’t a huge proponent of rumble and didn’t really miss it while it was gone. I would never go so far as to turn it off on systems that supported it, but it just wasn’t something that important to me. I didn’t buy a DUALSHOCK3 because it had rumble. I bought one in the hopes that the damned thing would WORK right.
I’ve played several hours of games since then and (knock on wood) I haven’t experienced any signal loss or “wigging out”, but the first time I run into it, I’m going to be pissed. At $55, it stung quite a bit to buy a 3rd controller but the (unexpectedly) nice side benefit was that I got to see first hand what 3-player split screen looks like (we played hours of Warhawk and Resistance over the weekend) and barring any problems with the DUALSHOCK3, I’ll likely end up with another one so we can play 4-player as well. The nice new HDTV has made 4-player HD splitscreen gaming a real possibility (I just had to work that in here somewhere.)
Have any of you experienced your SUXAXIS signal cutting out? If so, did it happen with all your controllers or only certain ones? I’m hesitant to call this problem “resolved” by buying a new controller because it wasn’t really as big of a problem at first with the SUXAXIS as it is now; maybe the DUALSHOCK3 will eventually get that way as well. If you’re in the market for a PS3, I’d definitely recommend waiting until the DUALSHOCK3 controllers are packed in (such as the MGS4 bundle) as there’s no downside to getting the DUALSHOCK3 instead of the SUXAXIS, but if you’re buying one to replace a SUXAXIS, the price is a bit high… especially when you consider the 360’s controller can be had for $40 quite easily if you’re willing to shop around.
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21 responses so far ↓
1 Kiltman67 // Apr 8, 2008 at 2:12 pm
Never had a problem with my SIXAXIS but I agree about it lacking weight. It’s just too sensitive to use the motion controls with any skill.
Imported a Dualshock 3 a couple of months ago and the added weight really improves it.
2 andyg8180 // Apr 8, 2008 at 2:24 pm
LAMBDA LAMBDA LAMBDA and
OMEGA MOOS!!!
You know what still sucks? The analog stick down low and out the way of your hand… It’s not natural… The 360 , gamecube, dreamcast all changed the location to put the thumbstick where your thumb naturally hangs from your hand…
I played last night, and i still get “thumb-pertunnel syndrome” on the ps3 controller… 360, all day all night, no issues…
Not sure why they are still on the same iteration of controllers from many moons back
3 Sean "Rothbart" Workman // Apr 8, 2008 at 2:33 pm
@andyg8180: Last time I checked, both of my hands were symmetrical. How is it natural to have one stick high and one stick low like on the 360 controller?
I _like_ the 360 controller, but your comment didn’t make much sense when you think about it… I could understand if somehow humans had slightly different left and right hands…
4 anthonyjh // Apr 8, 2008 at 2:55 pm
I’ve always loved the Dualshock design. They way it fits in your fingertips rather than your palms. I’m probably one of the few that prefer it over the 360.
5 andyg8180 // Apr 8, 2008 at 3:00 pm
well…if you clench your fist, look at where your thumb lands… thats the natural position… thats where the analog stick is on the 360…
Now, clench your fist and move your thumb to where the ps3’s analog stick is…. That would be out and down… It doesnt lay on anything… try and hold it there extended out to where the analog stick is and hold it as long as possible… Your thumb gets tired faster as compared to laying in its natural position…
I may have explained it wrong in my last post, but i think this cleared up what i was trying to explain…
Im not bitching about the PS3 in general, i just wish they would swap the d-pad and the analog… They had originally put the analog on the bottom because it wasnt being taken advanatage of as much as the D-Pad (at that time), but now that analog rules supreme, it should take its rightful place…
better? lol
6 Animathias // Apr 8, 2008 at 3:00 pm
@Rothbart: That’s precisely the problem, my good man. For myself, if my thumbs are straightened while using the Dualshock, they are constantly bumping into each other while trying to use the sticks. The remedy to that is to curve your thumbs, which I simply do not find comfortable.
That said, your thumbs can rest comfortably on either the joysticks or face buttons, so it makes sense to move the joysticks away from each other.
7 Crunkhippo // Apr 8, 2008 at 3:14 pm
Well, to get the comments back on topic, I had to laugh at your article Rothbart because I had the exact same thing happen to me in Ratchet and Clank: Future as well. I’ve also noticed it on other games too, every now and then. Recently I’ve just been attributing it to the fact that my PS3 must currently reside behind my tv, so I figured there was a lapse in the wireless connection.
I can’t say for sure if it’s happened on both controllers because I haven’t kept track of them after it happens. Maybe I’ll try that out to give you a better opinion from my end.
8 Anski // Apr 8, 2008 at 3:40 pm
My SIXAXIS used to do that too. I imported a DUALSHOCK3 a few months ago and never noticed the problem again, so I kind of forgot about it. The SIXAXIS never did it a lot to me in the first place, and I think it was really only with Assassin’s Creed that I can remember it happening. I don’t have Resistance or R&C so I don’t have any data about those games.
So far though, like you, I haven’t had any issues with the DUALSHOCK3. Hopefully that’s the deal.
9 leeglf // Apr 8, 2008 at 3:56 pm
I thought the same when I got my ds3 it felt like it was much better quality than the sixaxis. but my my bro recently bought a new sixaxis to use as an extra controller and it is alot better quality than the one that came packaged with the ps3 it feels slightly heavier and is not transparent when you hold it up to the light. so I guess Sony were making
cheaper sub standard controllers to give away with there consoles (bad Sony)
10 Keith K // Apr 8, 2008 at 4:18 pm
I love my SIXAXIS controllers. I too have had the Ratchet runs off the cliff problems.. but strangely only in Ratchet and Clank. I will get Dualshocks eventually, but not until I would have decided to replace my current controllers anyway.
11 Sonicjosh // Apr 8, 2008 at 4:26 pm
I had the same problem with the sixaxis, but around Christmas I imported a (white) Duelshock 3 and all of my complaints went away, well… except one, no auto-off, but the battery life is so long and I usually turn it off if I know I’m not going to be playing for a while.
12 LorD // Apr 8, 2008 at 4:50 pm
I’ve never had a problem with the SixAxis, its performed as well as any other controller I’ve ever had.
I’m definitly picking up a DualShock3, as I only have one controller. Here’s hoping for a GTAIV-DualShock3 bundle to save a couple of bucks….
13 Sean "Rothbart" Workman // Apr 8, 2008 at 5:28 pm
Since we’re all talking about controllers and SonicJosh brought up batter life, here’s a tip that’s not obvious. Hold the PS button down for 8-10 seconds and the controller will power down. I use that all the time now as I’ll get sidetracked watching TV and leave my PS3 on (Folding) but I don’t want my controllers running down.
14 Rory Hurren // Apr 8, 2008 at 5:37 pm
Never had a problem with the three sixaxis controls I earned. Probably will pick up a dual shock 3 when they finally launch in Europe. Not sure why I want to as I don’t really like rumble I think it is the weight issue want something a bit heavier.
15 refinedsugar // Apr 8, 2008 at 7:41 pm
I always read your articles just to see you spin a positive out of what starts as something immediate negative in your eye. You should look into Sony PR work.
16 Makidian // Apr 8, 2008 at 8:27 pm
I hated my SIXAXIS from the day I got my PS3, it was just too light and it did drop signals when I was in the middle of doing something important in a game. However my lovely and beautiful wife imported a DS3 for me for Christmas and it really is in every single way superior to the SIXAXIS and I haven’t once lost a signal while playing, my circle button sticks a bit from my son jamming down on it playing R&C but it’s great and everybody should get at least one.
17 Sean "Rothbart" Workman // Apr 8, 2008 at 10:38 pm
@refinedsugar: You’re so sweet!
18 Aaron // Apr 9, 2008 at 1:47 am
Never had the “suxaxis” problem you described. After 2 months of gaming, i finally bought the DS3. Never turned back since.
Oh, i got the DS3 few months back.
19 Minbad // Apr 9, 2008 at 3:44 am
I have never experienced that problem before. Plus I like the SUXAXIS indeed for its lightweight, and battery length… I never dared to express that before, I think you might understand why. Times in life where you feel really lonely
20 whoelse // Apr 9, 2008 at 4:32 am
Yes, i have had a few rare problems with mine but not too common. Im waiting for the DS3 to arrive in Europe.
21 maroofh // Apr 9, 2008 at 8:22 am
I’ve never had a problem with my controllers. Except i’ve got a stick X button on one and a sticky PS button on the other. But everything else is fine, although i have to admit that they do feel pretty light and cheap and I really dont like the see-throughness.
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