After yesterday's Gamer's Day event there's all kinds of new information about the Sony PlayStation 3 crossing the Internet.  One of the info nuggets involves the fact that the PS3 controllers (dubbed the Sixaxis, as you'll recall) contain Lithium Polymer batteries that are rechargable, but also irreplaceable.  Once those batteries finally die, the Sixaxis ceases to function as a wireless controller.  The fan backlash on the matter sprang up very quickly, as the concept of pitching dead controllers and buying new ones for $50 each really hit a sore spot in the gaming community.  Now today comes some clarification on the matter, as Sony has said that the batteries will last for "many years", and when those batteries do finally shuffle off this mortal coil, Sony will offer a replacement service.

Consider what happens someday far in the future when you want to play your old PS3.  Sony will stop offering replacement services eventually, meaning that the day will come when PS3 controllers will no longer be wireless due to dead batteries.  Such a move just seems like more poor planning on Sony's part for the next generation.  Granted that you'll probably be able to play your favorite old PS3 games on the PlayStation 9 with a fancy Sixaxis 3 controller by then, but still... It's always been my belief that if properly maintained, gaming hardware should work just as well as when it was purchased.  Knowing there's a ticking time bomb in the Sixaxis isn't filling me with much confidence for long-term PS3 ownership.

And if you vehemently disagree with me on this issue, you at least have to give me credit for not mentioning how given Sony's recent battery recall problems, the Sixaxis may well explode in your hand before it has a chance to become obsolete.