Microsoft Introduces Xbox One Adaptive Controller

A few days ago, an image for an interesting new controller design for Xbox One appeared online, suggesting that Microsoft was providing a way for people with limited mobility to play their favorite games. The company didn't confirm anything at the time of its appearance; but now it's official. The Xbox Adaptive Controller is headed our way.

The publisher confirmed the peripheral over on Xbox Wire, which is set to hit the market later this year for the price of $99.99. You can see the controller in action in the video above, which demonstrates just how easy it is to use and how it can function with Xbox One favorites.

"By taking an inclusive design approach and considerations of gamers who might not be able to reach all the bumpers and triggers or hold a controller for an extended period of time, for example, we were able to design a controller that provides a way for more fans to enjoy gaming. On our journey of inclusive design, we have taken a wider view of our fans and a more inclusive approach to designing for them," Xbox head Phil Spencer discussed in the post.

"For gamers with limited mobility, finding controller solutions to fit their individual needs has been challenging. The solutions that exist today are often expensive, hard to find, or require significant technical skill to create. A number of individuals and organizations are creating custom solutions, but it has been often difficult for them to scale when most rigs need to be so personalized.

"Joining the Xbox family of controllers and devices, the Xbox Adaptive Controller was created to address these challenges and remove barriers to gaming by being adaptable to more gamers' needs. It was developed in partnership with organizations around the world, including The AbleGamers Charity, The Cerebral Palsy Foundation, Craig Hospital, SpecialEffect, and Warfighter Engaged. We worked closely with them and directly with gamers who have limited mobility to assist in our development. Our goal was to make the device as adaptable as possible, so gamers can create a setup that works for them in a way that is plug-and-play, extensible, and affordable. In addition to working with common adaptive switches that gamers with limited mobility may already own, it has two large buttons built in. These buttons can also be reprogrammed to act as any of the standard controller's button inputs via the Xbox Accessories app."

"To make the Xbox Adaptive Controller a viable solution for the widest possible range of gamers with limited mobility, we've worked closely with third-party manufacturers to support external inputs which can be plugged in to the new controller. These inputs include PDP's One-Handed Joystick for the Xbox Adaptive Controller, Logitech's Extreme 3D Pro Joystick, and Quadstick's Game Controller. We couldn't be prouder to have their support in introducing the Xbox Adaptive Controller. More recommended partner devices can be found here."

Spencer continued, "The Xbox Adaptive Controller has been years in the making, though we realize that this is only one step along our journey of inclusive design and that we have more work ahead. This has been a passion project for people around the world, both inside Microsoft and beyond. We're thrilled to introduce it to the world today, tell the story behind it, and take what we have learned on our journey to inform future initiatives in inclusive design."

He concluded, "At $99.99 USD and available exclusively through Microsoft Store, the Xbox Adaptive Controller will offer significant value over the customized alternatives that exist today. We're looking forward to sharing more about the Xbox Adaptive Controller in a few weeks at E3. The Xbox Adaptive Controller will be launching later this year, and we'll share more information soon about pre-order availability."

The controller will likely be on hand during this year's Xbox Fanfest and looks to be a remarkable way to bring players into games. We can't wait to see more of it in use!