When we play next-generation video games, we often come across many accessibility options for people with functional diversity. These features allow players with vision, hearing, or mobility impairments to enjoy video games just like any other gamer.
However, the variety of accessibility options greatly depends on the game studios and the companies behind them. In the case of Sony, games from PlayStation Studios, such as The Last of Us 2 or God of War Ragnarok, offer a wide range of different accessibility options.
This week, Sony has taken a step further and revealed a lot of new information about their adaptive controller for PlayStation 5: the PlayStation Access Controller, a device designed to make video games accessible for people with functional diversity. Users will be able to customize it according to their needs and preferences.
The controller was first showcased at this year’s CES exhibition under the name “Project Leonardo” and will be available for purchase in less than two months.
In an official PlayStation blog post, Sony has released a nearly ten-minute video showcasing the development process of the controller over the last five years. The video features different prototypes and versions of the controller, as well as collaborations between Sony’s internal teams and accessibility groups and consultants involved in the project.
The video also demonstrates how the Access Controller will interact with the PS5 (or PS5 Slim) user interface and how players can reassign the controller buttons. The blog post and the mini-documentary even highlight Sony’s commitment to accessible packaging, with specific areas where players can pull to unpack the controller easily.
Furthermore, Sony has announced the Logitech G Adaptive Gaming Kit for the Access Controller, a supplementary kit featuring additional accessories for the adaptive controller. This kit, licensed by Sony but not manufactured by them, includes an assortment of extra buttons and triggers similar to what Logitech offers for Microsoft’s Xbox Adaptive Controller.
