It sounds unbelievable, but until now PS3 gamers didn’t have a joystick to their names. Thankfully, peripherals manufacturer Thrustmaster has launched what it claims is the world’s first PS3 joystick, dubbed the T. Flight Stick X.

T. Flight Stick X: cruise control

The joystick, which is also PC compatible, is designed for flight games on the PS3, such as Blazing Angels 2. However, it’s not compatible with PS3 flight games using the console's motion sensor feature.

It provides PS3 gamers with most of the bells and whistles essential for smoking a line through the sky, such as rudder and throttle control. While gamers use the rapid fire trigger to shoot down, say, Black Hawks and a multi-directional hat-switch to control a plane’s additional functions.

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Additional features include a mapping functionality, which lets gamers customise buttons and the joystick’s four axis, and an internal memory to save the gamer's latest programming configurations.

Thrustmaster has weighted the joystick’s base to ensure you’re not flung around mid-manoeuvre and a hand rest is also incorporated onto the stick to help stop your hand aching during game play.

The T.Flight Stick X is available now for around £25 (€32/$50).