Sony puts price tag and April launch date on new DualShock 3 wireless controller

Ready to rumble in April

If you're waiting for Sony to finally release its new rumbling DualShock 3 wireless controller here in North America, you won't have much longer to go.

Today, Sony announced that the wireless DualShock 3 will be available sometime in April with a somewhat hefty $54.99 price tag (the current nonrumble wireless controller has a list price of $5 less).

Sony also had a few other PlayStation-related announcements. To coincide with the much-anticipated North American launch of Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots in late Q2 2008, Sony said it will introduce a PS3 bundle that includes an 80GB PS3, MGS4, and a DualShock 3 wireless controller for $499 (MSRP).

In case you're wondering what "late Q2" means, think June. That's also when Sony will release a limited-edition God of War PSP Entertainment Pack for $199.99 (MSRP). According to the press release, the bundle will include a "'Deep Red' PSP with God of War himself, Kratos, silk-screened on the back of the unit," a copy of God of War: Chains of Olympus for PSP, the movie Superbad on UMD, and a PlayStation Network voucher to download Syphon Filter: Combat Ops from the PlayStation Store. The standalone version of God of War: Chains of Olympus arrives March 4.

What's this all add up to? Well, a little pressure for Microsoft and Nintendo. With Sony hot off its Blu-ray victory, a couple of AAA PS3 titles on the horizon, and a little rumble in its controllers, things are looking up for PlayStation fans. What do you think?