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PlayStation Now will need DualShock for all devices

That's the word from Sony's marketing vice president, who says the company's controller will be required, regardless of whether or not play is on a console.

Don Reisinger
CNET contributor Don Reisinger is a technology columnist who has covered everything from HDTVs to computers to Flowbee Haircut Systems. Besides his work with CNET, Don's work has been featured in a variety of other publications including PC World and a host of Ziff-Davis publications.
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Watch this: Hands on with PlayStation Now

Sony's cloud-delivered gaming service, PlayStation Now, will require a bit of help from the company's DualShock controller.

Speaking to The Verge in an interview published Thursday, Sony PlayStation Marketing VP John Koller confirmed that to control on-screen titles through PlayStation Now, users will "need to have the DualShock to be able to play."

A DualShock controller. Sony

Interestingly, not all DualShocks will work on every device. The DualShock 4 will obviously work with streaming to the PlayStation 4, but the company's Bravia TV line will require DualShock 3. Tablets and smartphones will also need the DualShock 3, according to The Verge

Sony unveiled PlayStation Now earlier this week at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. The service, set to launch this summer, will stream full PlayStation 3 games to an array of products, including the PlayStation 4, Vita handhelds, and 2014 Bravia TVs. The fact that Sony will require users to have the DualShock in-hand to play titles could generate more revenue for the company's accessories business. The big question, however, is whether consumers will accept being forced to use a controller to play games beyond the console.