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Ahead of Global Accessibility Awareness Day, Sony is revealing more details about what is now being called the Access Controller for the PS5. The company first shared information about the controller under the name “Project Leonardo” in January. The announcement brings it a short and long overdue step closer to offering parity with Microsoft, which released the Xbox Adaptive Controller back in 2018.
The access controller is customizable to accommodate different ranges of speed and strength. Analog stick caps are available in standard, dome and ball shapes. Button caps come in options including pillow and flat, along with more specific sizes. The wide flat button cap has two button sockets, the overhang style is equipped for those with smaller hands and the curve button cap can be pushed or pulled. The controller can be laid flat, mounted at various angles, and can be installed on a tripod or other custom mount.
Once synced with their PS5, gamers can choose controller orientation, assign actions to each button, and change sensitivity settings. The controls can also be programmed to operate continuously with a single push. Basically, instead of holding down a button to sprint, clicking it once will do the same thing. This change reduces the strength and mobility requirements in sports. There’s also room to integrate a DualSense wireless controller, which can sync with two Access controllers to form a “single virtual controller”.
“We’re just getting started with our accessibility journey with PS5,” Sony’s accessibility lead Mark Friend explained in an accessibility update video featuring employees around the world. Other notable features mentioned include high contrast mode and traversal or navigation assistance.
Sony may have timed the announcement for Global Accessibility Awareness Day, the controller itself won’t be available for it. Currently, there is no release date or price available for the access controller, with more details coming “in the coming months.”
