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We kid you not. The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences gave Sony a Technology and Engineering Emmy Award for the PlayStation 3’s Sixaxis controller at CES 2007.

The award is given for outstanding achievement in technical or engineering development. In case you’ve been living under a rock for the past year or so, the PS3’s Sixaxis controller includes built-in motion-sensing technology that was added to the original Dual Shock controller.

Apparently, it’s NATAS that may have have been living under a rock. This award comes after the New York Times said the console “just isn’t that great,” and after Time Magazine declared the PS3 was a bust. But that’s just their opinion, right?

Perhaps, but let’s not forget that it was Nintendo that first came out with a motion-sensing controller at the 2005 Tokyo Game Show. Unlike the Sixaxis, the Wiimote has a rumble feature and has more motion-sensing capabilities.

According to GameSpot, the PS3 will also receive several other awards, like PC World’s 20 Most Innovative Products Award, the 2007 CES Best of Innovations Award, Sound & Vision’s Editor’s Choice Award, and Digital Entertainment Group’s Emiel N. Petrone Digital Innovation Award.

Let me get this straight: The Sixaxis, which was announced (*cough* ripped-off *cough*) months after the WiiMote, wins honors for so-called innovation?

Which company do you think should get innovation awards for their new consoles? Is it Sony or Nintendo?

*Editor’s Note: It appears that Nintendo and Sony both won the The Emmy Award for Peripheral Development and Technological Impact of Video Game Controllers (*phew*). Check the award list at EmmyOnline.com. Also note that the Nintendo controller is not named but the Sony controller is listed as the “Dual Shock” and not specifically the Sixaxis. Of course, that might just be an oversite. - PJ

Update: Christine Chin from NATAS tells us Sony has it all wrong. The award was for the original dual shock controller. Here is her message in full:

I understand you had contacted Cheryl Daly, Director of Communications at NATAS to confirm if Sony won for their PS3 controller. This is incorrect, Sony won for their dual shock analog controller. The award is from the Video Game Technology Group. It was nominated by our internal group and considered along with the Nintendo D-Pad both of which were considered Emmy worthy for the development of the generation of controllers that followed the classic joysticks.

I would like to confirm that Sony did not win for their PS3 controller, they won for their Dual Shock Analog controller.

Read [NYTimes] Read [Time Magazine] Read [GameSpot] Read [PCWorld] Read [CES Awards] Read [GamesIndustry] Award List [EmmyOnline]

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