At last year's Consumer Electronics Show, one of the more unusual gadgets that we saw was the Falcon game controller from Novint Technologies, which allows users to feel objects and interactions in a 3-D manner. We were intrigued by the device's potential--its unique approach to force feedback (explained here) let us experience the sensation of touching different surfaces and materials--but expressed a good deal of skepticism about it's chances in the marketplace. Why? Because while there had been a number of recent runaway successes in the alternative input category--SingStar's microphone, Buzz!'s buzzers, Guitar Hero's guitar and the Wii remote--the first three were built around what proved to be killer exclusive software, and the fourth additionally benefited from being included with each and every Wii sold. By contrast, the Falcon was essentially an after-market, would-be mouse replacement peripheral with no exclusive software; and as such, we had a difficult time imagining it breaking through.

Still, slow and steady wins the race. Last week, Novint and Electronic Arts exclusively revealed to us their agreement by which Novint will license several EA games, which Novint will then patch to support its Falcon peripheral. The titles which are being modified include Madden NFL 08, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 08, Need For Speed ProStreet, Battlefield 2 and Battlefield 2142. Each of this titles has been previously released, but Novint CEO Tom Anderson hinted that the company might support EA's as-yet unannounced Need For Speed title for 2008. Anderson also told us that the Falcon had been championed at the highest levels of EA; CEO John Riccitiello had been shown a demonstration of the device while he was president under then-CEO Larry Probst, back when the Falcon was a $14,000 prototype. ("It wasn't practical for EA to be involved then," says Anderson.) The two men stayed in touch during Riccitiello's tenure at Elevation Partners, and when Anderson showed the Falcon to Riccitiello again in December, it was impressive enough for EA's CEO to have his lieutenants evaluate it and ultimately strike a deal.

What surprised us somewhat is that Novint will charge players who already own these games $9.99 for a patch (Anderson's own words) in order to make the games Falcon-compatible. (Full versions of the game, meanwhile, cost $29.95.) At a time when Novint needs to drum up as much support as possible from players, the $9.99 fee seems as though it's taking advantage of those who already own a Falcon and alienating those who don't. Still, with a three-month conversion time per title, we can't say we blame Novint for wanting to recoup some of its invesrtment.