High-end Xperia devices can play games with DUALSHOCK 3 controller

We’ve seen a number of Android-based consoles crop up, but why buy a separate device when you already have a beefy chipset in your phone? Sony has added DUALSHOCK 3 support (that’s the PlaStation 3 controller) to several of its Xperia devices to enable a more console-like gaming experience.

Playing with the DUALSHOCK 3 controller frees up the screen of the device to just render the graphics of the game, which is great if you’re using the Xperia Tablet Z or you can use an Xperia phone hooked up to a TV.

Several games already work with this setup: Haunt the House: Terrortown, Modern Combat 4 and Respawnables.

Developers can check out the Sony Mobile Developer site for info on how they can add DUALSHOCK support to new and existing games, along with general tips and conventions (e.g. in North America and Europe the O button is Cancel, while in Asia it’s Confirm). Also, check out this longer video for a more technical discussion on the implementation

Here’s a list of supported devices (note Android 4.2+ is required, the phones that need an update are marked with a *):

• Sony Tablet S
• Sony Xperia SP (C5302/C5303/C5306)
• Sony Xperia Z* (C6602/C6603)
• Sony Xperia Z1 (C6902/L39h/C6903/C6906/C6943)
• Sony Xperia Z Ultra (C6806/C6833)
• Sony Xperia ZL* (C6502/C6503)
• Sony Xperia Tablet S
• Sony Xperia Tablet Z (SO-03E/SGP311/SGP312/SGP321/SGP331)

All controls on the DUALSHOCK 3 are supported. You’ll need a USB On The Go cable for the initial connection, after that the controller works wirelessly over Bluetooth.

It’s good to see Sony deliver such flexibility when it comes to gaming. Another cool option is to use the PS Vita TV to stream a game from a PS3 (and soon PS4) to any TV in the house. The PS Vita portable console can be used as a controller on the PlayStation too (think Wii U) and for remote play (this is mandatory for PS4 games).

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