UT3 PS3 gets PC controls

By Robert Purchese Published 6 August, 2007

Mouse and keyboard ahoy.

Unreal Tournament 3 will support mouse and keyboard on PlayStation 3.

Confirmation came on the official forums from Epic Games boss Mark Rein, who said it would be carefully implemented with a host of options.

"I checked with Steve Polge, and he said that yes, we are supporting keyboard and mouse in Unreal Tournament 3 on PS3," said Rein on the forums.

"He is confident we are doing it in a way that will be balanced without feeling 'gimped' for either side. We'll also allow people to choose whether or not they want to allow mixed controller vs. keyboard/mouse games or not."

It follows news from E3 in July that Unreal Tournament 3 will be console-exclusive to PS3 this year, and will let you enjoy popular PC mods from the PlayStation Network.

The 360 version will follow next year, and Rein recently said mod support was being worked on. And he assured us that if it didn't work and worst came to worst, then Epic would simply offer them as downloadable content.

But everything is quiet on the mouse and keyboard front for now, and Rein had "nothing new to report about 360" on the forum.

Head over to our recent first impressions of Unreal Tournament 3 to see why we've all got our knickers in a twist.

Picture of Robert.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

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Comments (71) Latest comment 5 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Dizzy #1 5 years ago

    If I want mouse and keyboard I will play it on my PC.

    Console games == gaming in the sofa!

  • The_Programmer #2 5 years ago

    And everybodies equal as they've all got the same equipment.

  • Sebo #3 5 years ago

    @The_Programmer

    Naaah, my equipment is bigger than yours

  • S.J.Rogers #4 5 years ago

    Very interesting.

    As someone who has a 360 and loves it, this could be the kind of thing that makes me get a PS3...

    I would like a PS3 (as i am a gadget Whore) but it NEEDS games...

  • Fernando #5 5 years ago

    first keyboard and mouse console game this gen?

  • Steroyd #6 5 years ago

    A game that bridges the gap between PC and Consoles might get just for that if I'm not broke by then... whoops I forgot the PS3 has no games to look forward to this year hur hur hur.

  • krudster #7 5 years ago

    Very very good idea. Why all console FPSs don't offer this option I'll never know.

  • UncleLou #8 5 years ago

    If I want mouse and keyboard I will play it on my PC.

    Console games == gaming in the sofa!

    Choice = good.

    I prefer playing at a desk, and I'd have no problems putting a PS3 next to my PC (Provided kb/m support becomes a standard. About time.)

  • tonynibbles #9 5 years ago

    No different to Unreal Tournament on the PS2 then, which had Keyboard and Mouse controls.

    The difference is now though, that the game running on a 42" LCD will look most different to the game running on my PC's 17" LCD monitor...

  • ratso #10 5 years ago

    now just give us a few rts games with keyboard + mouse support and pc gaming will be a thing of the past.

    at least fps works somewhat decently with a pad, rts games have been locked out of the console market simply because devs feel they have to shoe horn a game to fit the joypad.

    starcraft 2 on 360, we can but hope...

  • Darren #11 5 years ago

    Good news I say, more choice is better than no choice at all.

  • Xerx3s #12 5 years ago

    Very very good idea. Why all console FPSs don't offer this option I'll never know.

    Well that or a keyboard minus all the stuff you don't need for games.

  • penhalion #13 5 years ago

    @Dizzy

    You called it. I for one simply don't want to try to use a mouse and keyboard in my living room. I can see it now "Sorry Hun I need to shove all this crap off the coffee table to play a game" Swoosh...crash....boink..

    Instead of simply sitting on my lounger and manipulating a small joypad.

    The people shouting about needing a maouse and keyboard are usually the same people who game for 35 hours a week. That's the same amount of time I spend at my full time job!...Ok so I've been watching that gaming TV channel.

    "So how long do you spend practicing Motorstorm young man"
    "I spends like yu knaw 40 hars a week on avarage"
    "Er and showering"
    "Wossat den?"

  • skillian #14 5 years ago

    Should have been done years ago. For certain genres, the joypad has been holding back consoles for ages.

    And for the record, my mate plays Counter-Strike for hours a day, and doesn't even own a desk. There are ways of working round that, no probs.

    edit: ^ trust me, 10 years time and we'll all have keyboards in the living room :p
    Edited by 1 at 06/08/07 @ 16:38

  • TheGrandChappo #15 5 years ago

    Finally - this makes me happy i bought a PS3 now.....well kind of!!

    Strangely enough its an MS mouse i use with the PS3, and it doesn't work on my 360.....come on MS get it sorted mouse support!

  • UncleLou #16 5 years ago

    The people shouting about needing a maouse and keyboard are usually the same people who game for 35 hours a week. That's the same amount of time I spend at my full time job!

    Eh? Wanting kb/m has something to do with the time spent on gaming? What kind of utter nonsense is that?

  • Steroyd #17 5 years ago

    ratso.

    like the RTS genre?

    Well the genre has been popping up on the Xbox 360 a bit but would be yay much better better with KB/M.

  • Nobuo #18 5 years ago

    My first thought was "Why turn a console into a PC?", then it occured to me that since I have a kb/m plugged into my PS3 anyway I'd be very irritated if I couldn't use it for games that they are perfect for.

    So yeah, kudos I guess.
    Edited by 1 at 06/08/07 @ 16:54

  • afghan_jones #19 5 years ago

    I in the 'pro joypad' gang for the usual reasons. Sofa beats desk, plus it gives a less geeky vibe to the missus/relatives/ the cat.

    But the other thing is that I find a pad to be much more visceral, with rumble (on 360) and the left and right trigger buttons shaped like actual triggers, I find it 100 times more immersive than clicking a mouse and keyboard.

  • BootLace #20 5 years ago

    Bluetooth/wireless keyboard/mouse and some sort of tray arrangement should be sofa viable.

  • the_dudefather #21 5 years ago

    good show, the ps3 controller sucks balls for fps games

  • Azazel #22 5 years ago

    All console controllers suck balls for FPS imho. Too many years of lightning fast quakeworld play have entrenched me in this position I'm afraid.

  • Katsumoto #23 5 years ago

    i'm afraid regardless of whether you use a pad or a mouse, we're all gamers here and I think it's a bit silly for console fanatics who come on this site everyday and drool over the latest news (i'm not pointing at anyone btw, just generalising) to refer to PC gamers as nerds/geeks. We're as sad as each other, and should be proud of it!

    Or if I wanted to infuriate people I could say console gamers must be even more sad because no PC threads manage to rack up comments' threads in the several hundreds when one company executive says something about another one. Heh. But i'm not saying that, of course.

  • UncleLou #24 5 years ago

    I think there must be a completely different perception of gaming on PCs and consoles in Germany and the UK. In Germany, it's pretty normal, if you buy a PC anyhow, to spend a few hundred EUR more and be able to play games as well.

    Spending lots of money on a machine whose exclusive purpose it is to play games, and in the living room, is seen as pretty much the pinnacle of über-Nerdism. :p
    Edited by 1 at 06/08/07 @ 17:12

  • Wayne #25 5 years ago

    OMFG JEZZAJENGA PS3 IS JUST A PC M I RITE?

  • polymorph #26 5 years ago

    Very good news, i came from consoles (nes snes 64 ps1 ps2 xbox now 360).
    I got into pc gaming when half-life came out.
    I could not work the controls for shit back then.
    But as soon as i learned i was in for the long hall, still play 95% on console though.
    I love pc controll, even though most my life i've been a console gamer.
    So bring it on!!!
    Anyone know if wireless keyboard and mouse work on ps3?

  • Walshicus #27 5 years ago

    I don't want to play PC gamers on my console. I want fun, not twitch-shooters. Thus, this news bothers me not one iota.

  • Scimarad #28 5 years ago

    It's nice that UT has the k/b & mouse option on the PS3 but it isn't something I'm personally interested in. I much prefer using a joypad which, apparently, makes me some sort of misguided moron...

  • polymorph #29 5 years ago

    @UncleLou
    well im reading this on my 50 inch plasma in the living room. Does that count?

  • polymorph #30 5 years ago

    @Scimarad,
    Why?

  • kangarootoo #31 5 years ago

    @Xiphos

    What about people who simply don't want a PC for playing games on? I think that for some games the M&K combo is better, but I don't want to have to buy a PC to use it. Surely the type of controller is the least definitive aspect of either system.

  • smoothn00dle #32 5 years ago

    I can see this moves could start a new type of gaming mouse and keyboard for PS3 which allow gamers to play in their living room.

  • polymorph #33 5 years ago

    @kangarootoo,
    Thanks, that was what i was getting at.

  • Frogger #34 5 years ago

    HAHAHAAAA !!!

    The Phantom is here, finally ! It has just been rebranded "PS3" !

  • zuljin #35 5 years ago

    @Xiphos
    "I mean, I'm amazed that they bothered
    is the PS3 version superior to the current best PC hardware?"

    How do the two relate? Surely its just about giving console owners extra options?

    @polymorph
    Yes you can use wireless keyboard. Not sure if you can use ANY, but Logitech sell some.

  • Xerx3s #36 5 years ago

    Frod: Life must be easy on the SDF fence.

  • asphaltcowboy #37 5 years ago

    Whilst I prefer MK controls for FPS games (I'm not that good at FPS games on consoles), I can't help but think this is a bad idea™. Why run the risk of balancing it badly? Just put everyone on a level playing field and that'll be one less thing for them to complain about!

  • orakio #38 5 years ago

    being able to play it on a bigger screen won't get you more frags though. On the contrary even.

  • Machiavellian #39 5 years ago

    What might make me worry about Epic providing K/M support is how much time did they spend with the gamepad support. I know they stated that they used the help of the GOW team but UT3 and GOW play different from what I can tell. Anyway, as long as the gamepad support does not suffer and there isn't some type of crazy imbalance issues then K/B is a nice option if you want to go that route. Personally for me, I do not have the Living Room where k/B makes a good option.

  • SeesThroughAll #40 5 years ago

    Supports mods? Check
    Keyb+mouse? Check

    At the very least a level editor? errr....

    That's the trick ;)

  • SniperWolf #41 5 years ago

    Am I the only person who would rather play games with a controller and thinks keyboard/mouse suck for games?.

    I guess so, that or everyone's afraid to admit controllers are more fun.

  • SeesThroughAll #42 5 years ago

    @ smoothn00dle:

    "I can see this moves could start a new type of gaming mouse and keyboard for PS3 which allow gamers to play in their living room."

    Would this be close enough? ;)

  • corzair #43 5 years ago

    why dont they add support for that keyboard add on for the 360 controller that MS are about to release?

    Anyhow the last xbox UT played well with a controller

  • SeesThroughAll #44 5 years ago

    why dont they add support for that keyboard add on for the 360 controller that MS are about to release?

    It's sure to be used for text input, don't worry.

    Anyhow the last xbox UT played well with a controller

    I'm sure it did. Your point?

  • UncleLou #45 5 years ago

    Am I the only person who would rather play games with a controller and thinks keyboard/mouse suck for games?.

    I guess so, that or everyone's afraid to admit controllers are more fun.

    Yeah, I am crying bitter tears every night because I can't play Civ IV, Medieval 2 and WoW with a pad, but I'd never admit it.

  • JediMasterMalik #46 5 years ago

    Remember where you are, and back away slowly. ;)

  • Katsumoto #47 5 years ago

    Am I the only person who would rather play games with a controller and thinks keyboard/mouse suck for games?

    No. Clearly. However, there are ALSO people who prefer to play with a keyboard/mouse. Shit! I guess now people who prefer k/m can choose to use that, and others can choose not to! Hurrah. End of. Sorted. Anyone who posts below this smells of fanny. Hurrrrrr.

    edit: except ecureil
    Edited by 1 at 06/08/07 @ 19:13

  • ecureuil #48 5 years ago

    This is fucking disgraceful. How dare they offer us a choice of how to play our games, they should be ashamed.

  • Drpwnage #49 5 years ago

    Competition Pro joysticks > All

  • Artemis_Matsas #50 5 years ago

    Choice is always good.
    Also, i'm determined not to buy another insanely expensive graphics card for my PC (It's AGP anyway). Sorry guys, but PC gaming has become a freaking joke. You have to spend thousands of Euro in order to have a good rig for gaming, that will last you... a year maybe???

  • crozon #51 5 years ago

    "Choice is always good.
    Also, i'm determined not to buy another insanely expensive graphics card for my PC (It's AGP anyway). Sorry guys, but PC gaming has become a freaking joke. You have to spend thousands of Euro in order to have a good rig for gaming, that will last you... a year maybe??? "

    My mate built a PC for around 700-800 pounds that will play UT3 on high, and he can download porn and write silly stuff on boards like this..............

    They say PC gamers are nerdy, good god the amount of console gamer going on and on about the fact that you can play UT3 with a mouse and keyboard on a PS3........so what.....if you don't want to play with a keyboard and mouse play with a controller and then from the server list select servers which enforce playing with a controller.......

  • YourMessageHere #52 5 years ago

    "Am I the only person who would rather play games with a controller and thinks keyboard/mouse suck for games?.

    I guess so, that or everyone's afraid to admit controllers are more fun. "

    Am I the only person who found Halo really average?
    Ooops, wrong thread =P

    Well done Epic. Could have sworn this was supposed to be a native feature of the PS3 when they first announced it but not to worry, hopefully this will set a standard for all other console FPS games. The more options the better.

  • penguin_overlord #53 5 years ago

    The PS3 is set to have the best-looking game ever this Xmas. It's true that Halo 3 will be a better game overall as it has a campaign mode but the 360 will lose the graphics crown currently worn by Gears of War.

  • Artemis_Matsas #54 5 years ago

    "My mate built a PC for around 700-800 pounds that will play UT3 on high"

    Hmmm best luck to your friend.

    Last time i looked an 8800 GTS costs about 300 euros and a 8800 GTX card costs more than 550 euros. And this is only the graphics card. I don't want to bring up costs about anything else.
    PC Gaming is an expensive hobby. Simple.

  • penguin_overlord #55 5 years ago

    I used to do most of my gaming on a PC. In fact, way back in the day, I switched from an Amiga to a PC when Wing Commander came out. I'd regularly spend £2k every few years on a new PC but I wouldn't any more. The PC I have now was good when I got it a few years back but I wouldn't buy games for it any more.

    I think in the past that PCs have had an advantage over consoles because they could already run HD-like resolutions but something like a PS3, which can effortlessly run at 1080p on a whacking great screen, really starts to diminish the need for PC gaming.

  • Drpwnage #56 5 years ago

    Except A PS3 or 360 can't run 1080p effortlessly :>

  • Lim-Dul #57 5 years ago

    So finally consoles are fulfilling their destiny and turning into something they ought have been a long time ago - specialized gaming-PCs. =)

    Well - in fact you COULD get a decent PC for the price of a PS3 (of course not suited for gaming, but that's not the point =)...

    I spy with my little eye the future household with small, cheap PCs for writing documents, surfing the internet etc. and consoles as their multimedia centers. =)

  • UncleLou #58 5 years ago

    Also, i'm determined not to buy another insanely expensive graphics card for my PC (It's AGP anyway). Sorry guys, but PC gaming has become a freaking joke. You have to spend thousands of Euro in order to have a good rig for gaming, that will last you... a year maybe???

    Nonsense. If anything, PC gaming is as cheap as it never was. Not only don't you need to spend "thousands", a PC will last you easily three years with a minor upgrade. CPUs are as cheap as they never were, and it's never been particulary wise to buy the latest graphics card.

    Not to forget that you'll save a shitload of money by buying PC instead of console games.

    I've got no problems with consoles or console gamers (I've got consoles myself), but I wish people would stop spreading nonsense about PC gaming.

  • crozon #59 5 years ago

    pc gaming has gotten a lot cheaper, i mean a 8800gts 640mb can be got for around £250 (that'll play games for atleast 2 years on a good setting) and a quad core intel processor can be found for around £180. and you don't need to go for a 8800 or a quad core if you are strapped for cash, but if you do well have fun!!!!!
    my rig cost maybe around £800. I did som incremental upgrades and i can play Colin McRae Dirt on the highest setting.

    In fact PC gamer built a pc that cost less than a PS3 and could still handle all the new games!!!

  • Subquest #60 5 years ago

    You have to spend thousands of Euro in order to have a good rig for gaming, that will last you... a year maybe???

    I'm with Unclelou et al on this one. The only part of my PC which was bought solely for gaming was the graphics card, which was bought 2 years ago and cost around £250. Oh, and a wireless 360 pad - nice irony there... My machine still plays all the latest games, mostly at 1280x1024 with high detail. I've got a dual core athlon and 2gb of RAM, which of course contributes to gaming performance, but I'd have them even if I wasn't a gamer. I love the one box does all nature of a PC - work, net, multimedia, gaming. It's a no brainer ain't it? The whole couch thing is a non-argument too, a PC can be rigged up to a TV and played using a pad with very little effort.

  • Madlax #61 5 years ago

    i think consoles have the potential to eventauly replace PC in "homes",meaning that consoles could become the future home PC

    the power gap between consoles and PCs is narrowing with every generation,by the time the upcoming generation arrives in 5-6 years,graphical and computational power will reach a level where PC may not have a distinguishable edge over consoles anymore

    i think if sony is smart,they should develop the next-gen playstation to be fully-optimized with linux,a system that can play games,fully integrated with the net,and can be used to do all PC functions,may see people using it rather than having to buy/upgrade an expensive PC in which the licensing fees for windows alone may be well above 200$,not to mention yearly upgrade costs

    they already did support Linux for the ps3 but it performs badly,it still requires a lot of optimization to reach the level where it can replace a PC,something i believe will be done with the next-gen [the one coming in 5 years...we,r in current gen now :) ]

    by the way....into topic

    when was the choice of playing with a K+M a bad thing ??? how did anyone manage to throw negativity on this good news ???

    i,m just waiting to see the number of players online,if its above 20 i,m sold


  • kangarootoo #62 5 years ago

    I can't believe this thread went the way it did.

    This doesn't happen everytime a driving game suppors a steering wheel. Here is a fact, I know its a fact 'cos I made it up myself.

    Anyone who thinks this news is any more significant than simply meaning that a game can now be controlled in two ways instead of one, is f*cking mental.

    Its not about PC gaming, its not about whether m&k is better than a controller, its just an electronic device with a peripheral.

    I mean, people do realise that a console is just a PC in a different shaped case? They do realise that right? People do GET what defines a computer? They are aware that "console" is just generic word not that different from meaning to interface or control panel? Well I am glad, 'cos I wouldn't anyone to look foolish over all of this.

  • crozon #63 5 years ago

    i can't see anything taking the place of "the PC" (a machine running windows).
    After all a mac is a machine that doesn't need to be upgraded and is exactly what a console would be if it tried to be a PC. Yet microsoft has a massive dominance in this area. Linux tried to take market share away, and while there is an uptake its tiny in comparison to the amount of PC's been used.
    As consoles get more and more expensive, and devs suffer to port games so they are multiplatform, maybe its hard core gaming consoles that will die and consoles like the Wii will be the norm. Cheap cheerful and for the mass market.
    also in terms of having the edge, i'll give it one or two years and the games on the PC will streak ahead again (its a cycle thats been happening for a long time). In fact lets see what happens when Crysis comes out. It will be interesting to see how it plays in the real world, what the graphics are like and what the closest console game looks like.

  • Subquest #64 5 years ago

    @Madlax

    The machine of the future you so long for already exists. It can be produced by anybody, loads of different companies make components for it, and software companies don't need to pay royalties to the platform holder. They are completely modular, upgradable and customisable. It can sit under your TV, output at resolutions far exceeding 1080p, can be controlled using every input peripheral under the sun. Not only will it play games, but it'll record your telly, do your taxes, call australia for free, sequence your music, and edit your home videos.

    /Rolf Harris: Can you guess what it is yet?

  • steoc4 #65 5 years ago

    Nice to have the option and all but I can't see myself using it. I just can't see how I can comfortably use a mouse and keyboard sitting on the couch. I don't think it would even be possible to get a mouse to work really without moving furniture and it's not worth that.

    I hope this doesn't mean they neglect the regular controls because I liked the previous UT games but I can't be assed with getting a PC that can run this game when a PS3 will do the job for less money and less hassle.

  • mkreku #66 5 years ago

    I used to play my Playstation 2 games using a keyboard and mouse. Heck, I even bought some weird apparatus from Lik-Sang (RIP) that enabled me to use the mouse and keyboard in any game!

    The keyboard isn't exactly the ultimate gaming peripheral, but I'm pretty sure the mouse is (or damn close at least).

  • SniperZoz #67 5 years ago

    I'm a believer in choice ... so this is good IMO - i just hope the x360 version will follow!

    It's also quite good that the server gets to choose "controller only" "k/m only" or mixed!

  • SniperZoz #68 5 years ago

    also: i play on both consoles & pcs ... for a lot of years (i'm sure there are more of you here) ... from my experiece I can say that (in most cases) the keyboard is inferior to the gamepad ... and the gamepad is inferior to the mouse!

  • BadBoyBonner #69 5 years ago

    Artemis_Matsas

    [link url=ht tp://www.cclonline.com/product-info.asp?id=15489
    ]http://ww w.cclonline.com/product-info.as...[/link]

    Best 512Mb Agp Card? only £98 quid - I have one, it's great for most stuff.

    Transformed Company of Heros (I had OC 256mb 9800pro).

    And allows Source engine to stretch it's legs, with 4x anti-aliasing making little impact on performance.

  • Malacath #70 5 years ago

    I'm not surprised that they've brought PC controls to the PS3 version. The PS3 controller is crap and is not designed for 1st person shooters.

  • Artemis_Matsas #71 5 years ago

    I have been upgrading and changing my rig since my first 8088.
    I've spend shitloads of money on my PC, so please forgive me if i'm a little bitter. I still think that a good PC to play games on will cost you more than you'll spend on a 360 or even a PS3.

    I'm looking into this 1950 ATI that BadBoyBonner mentioned (thanks for that). I seriously doubt that my 400Watt power supply can cope with it though. (I have 3 HDs connected - 1 IDE - 2 SATA). Does anyone know about power consumption? I'm currently using a 6600GT 128MB.