Sony has announced that the third iteration of its DualShock controller for the PlayStation 3 will be reaching the hands of gamers soon.

DualShock 3 combines the motion sensitivity of the SixAxis feature with the vibration mode included in older PlayStation controllers.

"DualShock 3 will be released in Europe in early July," said David Reeves, president and chief executive of Sony Computer Entertainment Europe.

"We hope this will add to the intense gaming experience for our fans as we continue to evolve PS3, its software and its peripherals."

According to Sony, almost all future PS3 releases will support DualShock 3 and, as long as customers have upgraded to version 1.94 or higher of the PS3 firmware, the controller is already compatible with many existing PS3 titles.

Sony claimed that the rumble feature was excluded from the controller after difficulties integrating the technology with the motion sensitivity.

However, some believe that the omission was down to Sony's patent dispute with Immersion.

The new controller is expected to hit the shelves on 2 July at a cost of £39.99.