Customizable PS5 controller kit helps players with disabilities game on

At CES 2023, Sony announced Project Leonardo. This is a customizable controller kit for PlayStation 5 that allows players with various disabilities to design the optimal input layout that works for their specific needs.

Accessibility is becoming more and more of a focus in games, with developers looking at new ways to make games more comfortable for people who are usually overlooked. For example, two of his heavy hitters in 2021, God of War: Ragnarok When The Last of Us Part Iprovided a wide range of accessibility options to help people with visual, hearing, motor, or intellectual disabilities enjoy the game. Also, starting in 2020, the Game Awards will include categories that recognize innovation in accessibility.

Now it looks like Sony is extending that consideration to hardware with a new customizable controller kit. Codenamed “Project Leonardo”, the still-in-development kit deviates significantly from traditional controller configurations. The base unit is a large button radial dial with another button in the middle and a joystick sticking out from one side.

These buttons can be mapped to any input on a regular DualSense controller, or they can represent groups of simultaneous button presses. All components are interchangeable and different shapes and sizes of buttons and stick caps are available. Units can also be used in combination with or without DualSense, using one or two Leonardo controllers.

Sony Interactive Entertainment

You don’t have to have a Project Leonardo controller. It can be laid flat on a table or wheelchair tray, or attached to a mount or tripod. The system is expandable, with four AUX ports that can be configured to connect third-party accessories such as special switches, buttons, and sticks to perform desired functions.

The circular design means the unit works flawlessly in any direction and at any distance. Overall, the system allows users to create the right layout for their dexterity, range of motion, and other needs.

Players can set up their preferred control scheme on the PS5 system, save up to three different profiles per console, and easily switch between them.

It’s good that Sony has finally caught up in the accessibility realm, and Microsoft introduced its own system, the Xbox Adaptive Controller, in 2018.

The value of Project Leonardo is explained in the video below.

Source: PlayStation Blog