A PlayStation 5 controller for gamers with disabilities has been announced by Sony in collaboration with accessibility specialists.
Players may design a setup that works for them using the “extremely configurable kit” known as Project Leonardo, which includes a variety of buttons, triggers, and sticks.
The 2018-released Microsoft Adaptive Controller costs £74.99 in the UK, while additional buttons and joysticks can cost significantly more.
Project Leonardo, however, has yet to be given a price or release date.
According to a representative of Sony Interactive Entertainment, it will function “out of the box” to allow players to play “more easily, more comfortably, and for longer periods of time.”
The official stated, “We feel that Project Leonardo’s breadth of hardware and software customisation possibilities is unique and stands out from any other accessibility controller on the market today.
“For our crew, Project Leonardo is a genuine labour of love. In order to build a controller kit that we think many gamers with impairments would find beneficial, we drew on our 28 years of design experience at PlayStation.”
A number of organisations, including AbleGamers in the US and SpecialEffect in the UK, provided assistance.
The creator and CEO of SpecialEffect, Mick Donegan, expressed his excitement about the controller’s potential to enable access to gaming for a large number of individuals.
The nonprofit organisation has previously supported Microsoft’s Adaptive Controller, which is officially limited to use with the Xbox or PC but may be used with a third-party adaptor with competing platforms.
Accessible controllers have also been created by other manufacturers, such Hori.
After receiving a request from a parent, 8BitDo created one for players with spinal muscular atrophy last year.
