PlayStation has revealed its new PlayStation 5 accessibility controller which is currently named Project Leonardo. Accessibility has been a big problem in the gaming industry for some time. While film and TV shows have incorporated things like subtitles or even audio narration that describes what’s happening to a viewer, games have been more limited. Unlike the other two mediums, you are in direct control of what happens which means those who can’t see, hear, or maybe don’t even have the ability to use their arms or hands are often at a disadvantage when it comes to gaming. However, games have made major strides over the last few years to give players more options on how to play with developers like Naughty Dog leading the charge on this.
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Following Xbox’s accessibility controller which was released a few years ago, PlayStation is now releasing its own first-party accessibility controller called Project Leonardo for the PS5. It’s essentially a giant circle which has various PlayStation buttons on it and a joystick on the edge of it. Project Leonardo is designed to be highly customizable so players can adjust it to whatever their needs are. It’s also designed to be sat down, so players don’t have to hold it like a traditional controller. Ultimately, the goal is to help players with mobility issues, button and finger positioning, and also ensure they don’t have to hold something for long periods of times.
“Because players can customize Project Leonardo according to their needs, there is no one ‘right’ form factor,” said Sony Interactive Entertainment designer So Morimoto. “We want to empower them to create their own configurations. The controller can also flexibly accept combinations of accessibility accessories to create a unique aesthetic. I am excited that the design will be completed through collaboration with players rather than presenting them with a single form factor.”
It’s a pretty unique device and it will even work in tandem with other third-party accessibility devices and the DualSense itself. Needless to say, this will open up a lot of ways for new players to experience games they may have had troubles playing before or been completely unable to experience. There’s currently no pricing information or release date, but we can probably expect to hear more in the coming months.
What do you think of this new controller? Let me know in the comments or hit me up on Twitter @Cade_Onder.
