Rumble firm pays Microsoft $20m

A Washington court has ordered rumble firm Immersion to pay Microsoft $20.75 million in damages as a result of Sony licensing the company’s technology for use in its revised PS3 joypad, the Dualshock 3.

In the build up to the release of the next-gen consoles, Microsoft paid Immersion to use its technology in the Xbox 360 joypad. Sony, however, did not, leading to the PS3 initially launching with the rumble-less Sixaxis motion-sensing pad.

Kotaku reports that part of Microsoft’s deal with the firm required that Immersion cough up $15 million in the event that Sony subsequently decided to jump on board with the rumble firm.

Immersion initially refused to pay the fee, but has now been ordered to do so. “We are pleased to resolve our outstanding dispute with Microsoft and to put this litigation behind us," Immersion president and CEO Clent Richardson stated.

“We now have our full attention and focus devoted to working with innovative companies around the world, including Microsoft, to accelerate and rapidly achieve global adoption of our haptic technology in gaming, consumer electronics, mobility, and medical products.”

As part of the deal, Immersion has also been admitted to Microsoft’s Certified Partner program.