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The introduction of the Xbox Adaptive Controller has been a major milestone for the gaming industry, as it has provided much-needed accessibility options for players with disabilities. However, PlayStation has not been sitting idle on this front.
In fact, the company has been working on software adaptations for its exclusives for years, and now it has taken things a step further with the development of Project Leonardo. “Project Leonardo is part of the PS5 product family and is based on the same design concept.
We were inspired by the idea of all players enjoying the world of PlayStation together. Our team tested over a dozen designs with accessibility experts, looking for approaches that would help address key challenges to effective controller use.
We finally settled on a ‘split controller’ design that allows near free-form left/right thumbstick repositionability, can be used without needing to be held, and features very flexible button and stick cap swapping." said So Morimoto, Sony Interactive Entertainment designer.
Project Leonardo Removes Barriers
This new controller is being created in collaboration with accessibility experts, developers, and gamers with disabilities, and it is designed to be highly adaptable in order to remove barriers and make it easier and more comfortable for people with disabilities to play games for extended periods of time.
This is an exciting development that has the potential to make impact on the gaming community and ensure that everyone has the opportunity to enjoy the benefits and fun of gaming. “Because players can customize Project Leonardo according to their needs, there is no one ‘right’ form factor.
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”.
said So Morimoto. "Project Leonardo is currently in development and we continue to gather valuable feedback from the community. We’d like to thank all the wonderful organizations and accessibility experts who are supporting us in this effort." was written on PlayStation Blog.