Not so good vibrations for Sony

In the United States, Sony may be forced to stop selling its PlayStation consoles and 47 games set for release, and pay $90 million in damages to Immersion Corp for using their patented technology. The patent covers console controller vibrating technology that rumbles in line with in-game action.

The order by a California federal court will only come into effect if an appeal – which Sony intends to take – fails.

In July of 2003, Microsoft settled for out-of-court with Immersion, paying 26m to license Immersion's technology, and obtaining 10 percent of the company. This left Immersion’s original 2002 patent-infringement lawsuit only effecting Sony’s PlayStation 2, and PlayStation/PSOne.