As was expected, Sony Computer Entertainment CEO Kaz Hirai during his keynote at the Tokyo Game Show has announced the DualShock 3, which will finally bring back rumble functionality to PS3 games (while retaining motion sensing). Hirai said the decision to implement rumble came from users who kept requesting the functionality.

The DualShock 3, which not surprisingly looks identical to the Sixaxis, is scheduled to launch in Japan this November and in North America and Europe next spring. Eleven games have incorporated rumble so far, Hirai said, including Capcom's Devil May Cry 4 and Konami's Metal Gear Solid 4. The interesting part in this, however, is that current games can be updated via the PlayStation Network to support rumble as well.

The other hugely important news from Hirai's speech is that PlayStation Home has been pushed back to Spring 2008. The free virtual world was originally scheduled to launch by the end of this year and represents a huge component of Sony's online strategy. It'll be interesting to see how consumers react to the delay given that Sony still lags behind Microsoft's Xbox Live in terms of online console functionality.

Although no price cut was announced for either the PS3 or PS2 as some analysts predicted, Hirai did note that Sony will be able to reduce the manufacturing costs for the PS3 by making the console's semiconductors smaller and by reducing the overall number of components in the machine. This of course will eventually lead to further price cuts, but exactly when the savings will be passed on to consumers is not clear.

Hirai also talked a bit about the expanded functionality of the PSP and Remote Play. The portable can be used as another screen or as a controller for the PS3. Better yet, users will actually be able to continue playing their PS3 games on the road thanks to the PSP Remote Play function.

[UPDATE] The official TGS announcements have now hit the wire, yielding more details and other tidbits.

Of note, SCE has acquired Evolution Studios (the British developer behind MotorStorm) and its subsidiary Bigbig Studios Ltd. Evolution is already hard at work on the next installment in the MotorStorm franchise, which is slated for release in 2008. The developer is also working on further content expansions for the current MotorStorm, which will be distributed via the PlayStation Network. Bigbig developed Pursuit Force for PSP, which sold 800K copies worldwide; the studio is currently working on Pursuit Force: Extreme Justice, which will be released this October for PSP and on PS2 in early 2008.

As part of the acquisition, Mick Hocking, Managing Director of Evolution Studios, will be appointed Group Studio Director for SCE WWS Liverpool Studio, Evolution and Bigbig, and he will report directly to SCE WWS Vice President, Michael Denny.

"Our strategy is to create the best games by working with the best talent and Evolution and Bigbig are world-class additions to our team," said Phil Harrison, President of SCE Worldwide Studios. "The incredible people in these studios further extend the depth and skill of the industry's largest platform-exclusive development resource."

Other noteworthy tidbits from Sony's TGS announcements include: