Sony patents PSP to Sixaxis connector

PS3 News | Frankencontroller.

GamesIndustry.biz reports that Sony has filed a patent application with the US Patent Office for a process of connecting a PSP to a Sixaxis controller. The descriptions suggest that the controller attaches to the bottom of the PSP, turning it into a large and apparently fairly unwieldy controller / screen hybrid.

The obvious application for such a device is PSP / PS3 integrated games, where the PSP screen is used as a secondary interface for the game. Nintendo has done similar things previously with both the GameCube and the Wii, allowing their handhelds to interact with a number of console-based games. One shining example on the GameCube was the Legend of Zelda: The Four Swords Adventure, a well-designed multiplayer action game that quite effectively used the Gameboy Advance Cable to show cave exploration and other activities on the smaller screen.

Sony has signalled their intention to do something similar, specifically mentioning previously the example of using the PSP as a rear mirror for racing games. Gamesindustry.biz also suggests the possibility of the device being used to allow players to play dual analog stick games on their PSP, a definite possibility for older PlayStation games bought off the PlayStation store. The practical side of PALGN must ask how portable such a device would really be, but irrespective, it seems like a fairly cool first step towards PSP / PlayStation 3 integration.

The PSP / PS3 integration is made even more attractive by the potential for wireless connectivity, similar to that offered by the Wii in Pokémon Battle Revolution, the first game on the Wii to offer DS / Wii connectivity. Sadly, while the technology offers a lot of potential, history has shown that the number of games to effectively use it tend to be far and few between. If this is Sony's plan, hopefully they and their developers will be more effective than the average attempt.

Sony was apparently contacted for comment, but declined to make any statements.

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4 Comments

admeister

4 years ago

Very interesting, looks like they're copying Nintendo yet again. However, I ould have though that they would just have the PSP and PS3 connecting wirelessly, it looks like they've gone an extra step and allowed you to connect it to the sixaxis. Could this mean tilt controller PSP games in the future? Or just a dual stick interface to use? Should be interesting to see what they come up with.

ittekimasu

4 years ago

hmm i don't think this will work well, with the sixaxis being a motion controller people will either get their psp's broken by swinging it around or people will get tired easily by holding the bulk contraption, i can only imagine how difficult it will be having a psp and a ps3 controller to hold while constantly having to check both screens.

I think it would be a neat idea of they made games which had the option to also use your psp as a type of second *mini* character, an example would be tails from sonic and how on single player a second person would be able to use a second controller to use tails but still being forced into the same screen as sonic, if someone were to use the psp for this and have their own screen they could be used to scout ahead and check for enemies and such, mk2 from MGS would've been a good example that could use this.

but eh, need to see some designs to see how this could work.

SMASHED

4 years ago

Its nice of sony to do some more innovative things this time around, something tells me games like MGS and GOW are perfect additions. Though it is up to developers and their ability.

poweroffarts

4 years ago

admeister wrote

Very interesting, looks like they're copying Nintendo yet again.

Its funny how this is coming from someone who owns a PS3. And second point I could say the same about motion sensoring and Nintendo. Wii isnt unique or original to begin with, its done well thats all.

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