Sony announces new accessibility controller, destroys whatever Xbox did

https://blog.playstation.com/2023/01/04/introducing-project-leonardo-for-playstation-5-a-highly-customizable-accessibility-controller-kit/

Accessibility is an important topic to us at PlayStation, and we want to continue raising the bar to enable every gamer to experience the joy of play. Whether it’s the robust accessibility options in PlayStation Studios games like Santa Monica Studio’s God of War Ragnarök or Naughty Dog’s The Last of Us Part I, or the wide array of features in our PS4 and PS5 console UI, we’re passionate about reducing barriers to play for every gamer.

Today at CES, we announced the next step in our journey to make gaming more accessible: Project Leonardo for PlayStation 5. Developed with key contributions from accessibility experts, community members, and game developers, Project Leonardo is our codename for a new highly customizable controller kit that works “out of the box” to help many players with disabilities play games more easily, more comfortably, and for longer periods.

Highly customizable play experience

Hardware customizations. Project Leonardo for PS5 is a canvas for gamers to craft their own play experience. It includes a robust kit of swappable components, including a variety of analog stick caps and buttons in different shapes and sizes.

Players can use these components to craft a wide array of control layouts. And the distance of the analog stick from the game pad can be adjusted to suit the player’s preference. These components allow players to find a configuration that works for their strength, range of motion, and particular physical needs.

Software customizations. On the PS5 console players have an array of options to tailor their Project Leonardo play experience:

• Button mapping
  • The controller’s buttons can be programmed to any supported function and multiple buttons can be mapped to the same function. Conversely, players can map two functions (like “R2” + “L2”) onto the same button.

• Control profiles
  • Players can store their programmed button settings as control profiles and easily switch between them by pressing the profile button.
  • Up to three control profiles can be stored and accessed by the player from their PS5 console at any time.

Works collaboratively with other devices and accessibility accessories

Project Leonardo can be used as a standalone controller or paired with additional Project Leonardo or DualSense wireless controllers. Up to two Project Leonardo controllers and one DualSense wireless controller can be used together as a single virtual controller, allowing players to mix and match devices to fit their particular gameplay needs, or to play collaboratively with others.

Wow, this looks sick. Thoughts, SW? Does this destroy whatever Xbox did? I think so.

MS's attempt was lazy, and only there to collect trophies for the effort. Sony on the other hand, as always, they offer you the real deal.

It is obvious you don't know how these controllers work.😂

Looks like a UFO space saucer to me and I have no clue how to use them🤔

I did read about this. The Xbox accessibility controller is leagues beyond this "project", but it's good that Sony is at least trying.

Nice to see these companies making these accessibility controllers so more people can play video games.

“Destroys” what Microsoft did? Not really sure about that one way or the other. Just think it’s a good thing from both companies. 🤷‍♂️

Sony's business plan...

Copy Xbox

Agreed. Nice to see greater support for all gamers. No clue/don't really care how this compares.

good on Sony for making an accessible controller.. but when I first saw it I thought of this

exactly lol. I love how GS shills this thing to the moon, sony must have paid for the article, paid real good. MS has been making accessible controllers for 5+ years now, and without the fan fare. #wethegoodguys.

Dude, Sony was shitting all over the Xbox accessible controller.

https://gamerant.com/playstation-twitter-xbox-adaptive-controller/

Oof....

Perfect for non gamer Sony casuals.

@kvallyx: bunch of clowns, the xbox adaptive controller looks cool, while sonys looks like a fisher price toy. Either way, its good that its bringing in more gamers. Good on sony for being inclusive.

It's cool that Sony is following Xbox on this one. Better late than never. Does Nintendo have anything similar?

About time. Now Nintendo should get on board.

However the Xbox method of plugging in any user-made peripheral via standard 3.5mm jack to act as a controller component seems superior than this limited customizability approach.

What's wrong with you people? I understand sh*tposting in SW but pretty sure none of you are capable of understanding how these compare to each other or helpful to the people they are designed for; so I don't see how one destroys the other or vice versa.

SONY, building a better, more inclusive world of video gaming and by golly that's great!

I plan on purchasing the PS5 in the future sometime,but seeing this controller doesn’t make me want to go out and buy one earlier. Good for Sony though,every new innovative idea to help us gamers is a good thing. I don’t see or understand why it’s going to destroy the other gaming platforms or why would you want to anyhow?

Did you forget how to SW in SW?

nice now time for Nintendo to step up

I agree this is shameful.

Both bring more accessibility to gaming, and i'm all for that. TBH, any dominant design should be made copyright free and allow other companies to produce controllers for multiple systems.

@SolidGame_basic: It's different, but doesn't destroy anything. Kts good that Sony finally stepped up.

Admit you dont have an Xbox already. The longer you put it off, the more you look like a fricken #$%@! for wasting money on a product you hate by a company you hate.

Thank you! This thread got ableist REAL QUICK.

Sony has theirs. MS has theirs. Nintendo has nothing because they're lazy and want to milk children with $20 toys and emulators from 20 years ago.

I have learned that the Leonardo controller will actually support 3.5mm jacks for custom peripherals so that addresses my earlier criticism. Very cool.

C'mon Nintendo.

These guys and gals can't push buttons as fast as we can and can't grip a controller in the same way we can.

So the most important thing is that they can at least play a game, albeit with a different controller.

@kvallyx: 'I did read about this. The Xbox accessibility controller is leagues beyond this "project", but it's good that Sony is at least trying.'

They're trying only because they have to before the left-leaning woke snowflakes with blue hair deem Sony disabled haters

Now the cows are making a war out of controllers for people with disabilities?

😧 What is the matter with you people? No shame.

This is surely something to celebrate but the cows are like "XBOX AM OWNED".

Anyone surprised? 😒

Nope! Look who created the thread.😂

Sony’s innovation is causing bitterness among rivals 🤣

I know its system wars and we have to promote one of the other in a slanderous way.

But can't we just acknowledge MS and Sony for having something. Unless you actually use them how can we really know which is better than each anyways.

Well done Sony and Microsoft

Poo TC. That shameless shilling went too far...

lol :P

Exactly, it's just good they both do them.

I wish ms and Sony would sit and create a universal controller for disabled people.

It seems Sony love copying whatever Xbox does. Stuff like achievements, all digital console, elite controller and now this. Stop being lazy and stealing ideas Sony and get creative.

Lol, anything can be turned into system wars. Wow.

Here's Microsoft's.

Please explain why.

@Litchie said:

Here's Microsoft's.

@SolidGame_basic said:

Does this destroy whatever Xbox did? I think so.

Please explain why.

Just look at it. No joystick, barely any buttons. I mean, isn’t this obvious?

@SolidGame_basic said:

@Litchie said:

Here's Microsoft's.

@SolidGame_basic said:

Does this destroy whatever Xbox did? I think so.

Please explain why.

Just look at it. No joystick, barely any buttons. I mean, isn’t this obvious?

There is a reason it doesn't have a joystick 🤦‍♂️

As far as barely any buttons? This allows them to have whatever buttons they want from where they want that work with their disability.

I think the only thing that got "destoyed" in this thread is @SolidGame_basic

@kvallyx said:

@SolidGame_basic said:

@Litchie said:

Here's Microsoft's.

@SolidGame_basic said:

Does this destroy whatever Xbox did? I think so.

Please explain why.

Just look at it. No joystick, barely any buttons. I mean, isn’t this obvious?

There is a reason it doesn't have a joystick 🤦‍♂️

As far as barely any buttons? This allows them to have whatever buttons they want from where they want that work with their disability.

Unless these features are patented, companies can copy each other at will.

@SolidGame_basic said:

@Litchie said:

Here's Microsoft's.

@SolidGame_basic said:

Does this destroy whatever Xbox did? I think so.

Please explain why.

Just look at it. No joystick, barely any buttons. I mean, isn’t this obvious?

If disabled people could use joysticks and a lot of buttons, then we wouldn't need alternatives like this.

While I am sure Sony's offering is a good attempt made in good faith, I can't help but think it will leave out a large segment of the disabled population.

I mean, let's imagine for a second you have no left arm, and where your right arm should be, you instead have a hand more or less at your shoulder socket. Is Sony's deal really going to work for you?

Does the Sony offering have anything for breath control (I don't know what it's called but Hawking had it on his wheelchair), where you can breath and it registers impulses? Does the Sony offering have any connections for third-party hardware like eye- or head-tracking to register as different button presses?

You can tell the TC take this all too seriously when he's trying to argue about accessibility controllers.

It’s actually the opposite. Posters think I’m being serious. 😄

@SolidGame_basic: yet we all see your day to day activity and we all know that you do.

@SolidGame_basic: no it doesn’t because you can’t destroy a trail blazer. This wouldn’t exist without MS having made theirs first. Nothing can change the fact that MSFT thought of the disabled first.

Your post history says otherwise 🤣

TC why are talking shit on products made for the disabled and then deflect everything with "I'm not being serious." Like why did you wake up 4 days ago and decide this was a good idea?