Sony is launching an affordable controller for its PlayStation 5 video game console. (Sony Interactive Entertainment/TNS)
One of the most popular video game systems is introducing a new controller designed to be more accessible for people with disabilities.
Sony said it will make its Access controller available for PlayStation from December 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 best. It also includes a control lever that can be adjusted to the desired length for added comfort.
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Users can configure button and stick settings to suit 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 such as a wheelchair tray and is intended to “help gamers with disabilities play more comfortably and for longer periods of time,” Hideaki Nishino, senior vice president of experience on Sony Interactive Entertainment platforms. mail. “Our goal was to create an innovative design that would suit the needs of a wide range of players.”
Nishino said the company tested a half-dozen concepts and worked with accessibility experts and testers with disabilities to identify the best option. Even the controller 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 the Logitech G will offer a Accessories case Starting in January that will allow for even greater customization.
The PlayStation Access controller was first revealed at CES, an annual consumer technology trade show in Las Vegas, earlier this year, but was still in development at the time. Sony’s rival Microsoft has offered an adaptive controller for the Xbox since 2018.
Sony is accepting pre-orders for the new Access controller, which costs $89.99.
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