WHAT'S HAPPENING
NEW PLAYSTATION CONTROLLER TO MAKE GAMING MORE ACCESSIBLE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES
One of the most popular video game systems is unveiling a new controller designed to be more accessible for people with disabilities
Sony said it will make its Access controller available for PlayStation starting Dec. 6. The circular controller, which has been in the works for five years, features buttons that can be rearranged with various caps to allow users to select the shape and texture that suits them. It also includes a control stick that can be adjusted to the desired length for comfort.
“Introducing the Access controller, a versatile controller kit that can be customized to meet players’ diverse needs, designed in close collaboration with the accessibility community to help players with disabilities play more comfortably for longer,” PlayStation announced. Users can configure button and stick settings to meet their needs and the Access controller can be used alone or connected with other controllers and accessories.
The accessible controller can be placed on a flat surface like a wheelchair tray and is intended to "help gamers with disabilities play more comfortably and for longer periods," Hideaki Nishino, senior vice president of platform experience at Sony Interactive Entertainment, indicated in a blog post. "Our goal was to create an innovative design that's adaptable to the needs of a wide array of players."
The Access controller, which will be available globally on Dec. 6 and costs $90 in the U.S., features swappable buttons and sticks that allow players to arrange the controller to best suit their individual needs.
The circular device is surrounded by buttons and an extending joystick, and other accessories can be added on in separate ports. According to CNet, it was designed for those with various gaming needs and includes interchangeable magnetic buttons, a box that can be opened with one hand and the ability to combine controllers.
"As someone who's disabled, you're given tons of accessible equipment that feels medical; it feels like something that's from the hospital," accessibility consultant Cesar Flores told the outlet. "If you look closely on each of those buttons, there's tiny X's, squares, triangles – that's so special. That's the difference right there, because that really makes it so I feel like I'm just going to game."
Sony Interactive Entertainment's senior technical program manager Alvin Daniel added that accessibility with a controller is important if games and consoles are accessible as well. "Our PlayStation Studios have done an amazing job with each
title and really pushing the boundaries as far as accessible gaming," he said. "The critical link in that chain is the controller."
Nishino said that the company tried out half a dozen concepts and worked with accessibility experts and testers with disabilities to identify the best option. Even the controller's packaging is designed to be accessible, using loops to allow customers to unpack the item with just one hand.
In addition to the Access controller itself, Sony said that Logitech G will offer an accessory kit beginning in January that will allow for even more customization.
The PlayStation Access controller was first revealed at CES, an annual consumer technology trade show in Las Vegas, earlier this year, but it was still in development at that time. Sony rival Microsoft has offered an Adaptive Controller for Xbox since 2018. Sony is accepting pre-orders for the new Access controller, which runs $89.99.
TAKING CONTROL: The Access controller can be customized to meet sdiverse needs and was designed in close collaboration with the accessibility community.
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