In the cutthroat corporate environment of video game development, developers must always push to stay on the cutting edge of new technology.

Last weekend, Sony Entertainment unveiled its newest addition to the Playstation family, which they hope will put the company ahead of competition for years to come and push the limits of traditional console gaming.

The Sony Impact not only takes the controller out of players’ hands, but puts them into the body of the character they control on the screen. The Impact utilizes the latest neurosensor technology to recreate actual physical sensations that the player experiences in a game: the player may actually “feel” the fur of a tiger, the impact of a fist to the face, or the piercing pain of real bullets.

David Brumel, chief engineer in charge of the Impact, said, “The Impact is a gaming experience unlike any other. Thanks to our team of engineers, players can now experience a level of realism previously thought impossible. Gamers can now not only see their character set on fire in beautifully-rendered 3-D graphics, but they will also be able to feel the fire. Instead of merely seeing their character being torn apart by a hail of guns and lasers, they can now feel that experience. We are taking gaming to a whole new level.”

Early reviews of the new console have been mixed.

Robert Small, a game tester at the Sony labs, said, “I saw a kitten and I got to pet the kitten and it was so cuddly!”

Another tester, who wished to remain anonymous, seemed less enthusiastic.

“No . . . no, stop.   STOP! AAAAAGGHHHHHH MY SKIN IS MELTING DEAR LORD MAKE IT STOP!”

Sony has made it clear that this console will receive unprecedented support. Early releases for the Impact will include such games as BulletFace, BulletFace II: Legends of the Fire, Tickle Torture, Temple of the Screaming Limbs and Migraine Palace Puzzle Adventure.