It’s no secret that Sony has been a pioneer of accessibility in games, with its first-party productions like The Last of Us: Part I and God of War Ragnarok winning awards for their commitment to ensuring they’re playable by all players. However, one piece that’s been missing has been a true revision of the DualSense controller that suits the needs of everyone. Enter the latest PlayStation pad: Project Leonardo.
This hardware kit has been developed in collaboration with numerous accessibility consultants, and promises “to help many players with disabilities play games more easily, more comfortably, and for longer periods”. It’s been designed in collaboration with charities such as AbleGamers, SpecialEffect, and Stack Up, and is built to work in tandem with the PS5 console to open up “new ways of gaming”.
“[Project Leonardo aims to] address common challenges faced by many players with limited motor control, including difficulty holding a controller for long periods, accurately pressing small clusters of buttons or triggers, or positioning thumbs and fingers optimally on a standard controller,” Senior Vice President of Platform Experience Hideaki Nishino wrote on the PS Blog.
Rather than a rigid controller, Project Leonardo is being pitched more as a hardware kit, which can be assembled to suit specific needs and requirements. Effectively, you can mix and match parts and components to create the configuration you need, and it interfaces with the PS5 to allow complete customisation across the board, ranging from button mapping to layout profiles.
The really neat thing is that you can pair it with other peripherals as required. For example, you can use Project Leonardo on its own – or even join two together. And if a player needs additional help, you can combine it with a traditional DualSense, so a parent or carer can control a character while the Project Leonardo user pushes the buttons. It’s totally versatile by design.
The controller is currently in development, with no release date attached. Sony says it’s continuing to gather feedback to make the peripheral the best it can be. “We are grateful to everyone in the community who has advocated for greater gaming accessibility,” said Nishino. “You are the reason we do our work and your passion inspires us every day. It’s truly a privilege for us to create products that better serve your needs.”
[source blog.playstation.com]
Comments 45
This is very long overdue, but I'm happy something like this is finally being made from PlayStation themselves.
Looking forward to seeing what Brolylegs will do with this bad boy.
Forget accessibility. We all know this means all new Elden Ring speed run videos are inbound...
@PlayStationGamer3919 this is an accessibility controller for people with limited motor function disabilities. If you're able bodied and want an arcade stick you'd be much better off buying an actual arcade stick like Razer and Hori make. If Microsoft's adaptable controller is anything to go by this thing will be much more expensive than an arcade stick as well. Looks like it'll probably be cheaper than MSs, but still "priced for institutions and insurance companies". Got to admit it's pretty tough...
I'd like to see the reaction from Xbox peeps about this, because they were the guys who started the accessibility controller ball rolling (into the mainstream I mean), and all credit to them for doing so!
I actually really like the design. Also find it fun that it’s named project Leonardo as the controller kind of looks like a turtle shell & has blue lights.
Hoping Sony doesn't overpriced this, so people who need it can afford it.
Happy they're finally doing this as well!!
I hope it works out well.
Well this is lovely to see. Hopefully the price is affordable.
Looks like a Simon Says pad. It’s so weird I like it 😁
I have an old friend who is a quadriplegic that plays games with his tongue and cheek, and a very large, rigid controller works best.
For example: the old Duke from the original Xbox is the perfect controller for him as he could position his forearms to even hit the shoulder buttons accurately. That man taught me how to play Ninja Gaiden on that crusty thing. He had beaten twice already. Legend.
This is good first step in the right direction if priced affordably, but the best thing they could do is a software update that would allow you to use whatever peripheral you wished.
Accessibility shouldn't be a commodity; it should be an accommodation in my opinion, and Sony have shown they are industry leaders in accommodation, so I expect software could be in the works too.
@NEStalgia Xboxs adaptive controller is priced at 74.99 which isn't too bad , the thing that has always got me over the years is all the stuff for ppl with disabilities is so expensive ( not just gaming ) , I have a friend with CP and the prices of stuff able bodied ppl take for granted is ridiculous
whats the price?
does it work on other platforms ?
Glad that Sony is finally doing this, hope it works out well.
If this release you can pretty much get it for free through organisations who focuses on making games available for everyone. Just like the Xbox one and Hori one (for Nintendo).
Just don’t abuse I would say. Buy if you can if you don’t have problems regarding your motor system.
@Martsmall wow that must have majorly come down in price! I was watching it when it launched and the realistic price with a practical kit of modules was in the hundreds! I figured it was one of those things to get insurance money and that every lucrative medical equipment budget.
If it is for normal price, than whole DSEdge will be forgotten.
@PlayStationGamer3919
Have you read the article? apparently not because then you would have known for which target group this controller was developed
@djlard
You're joking I hope? either that or you can't read
Great stuff.
@TommyNL Something being for a target group doesn't mean others can't also enjoy it. If people like the customization / different experience the controller can provide, I see no reason why it's a problem for them to obtain one.
I’m all for accessibility in gaming, but what is this design?
@Cloud7794
Yes, I get that. Maybe I misread the sentence. But the fact remains that these are good developments for a large group of people. And I find that much more important than hobbyists who like to modify controllers.
@Jireland92 creativity
Cool. If I become disabled, or just lose mobility with age, it’s good to know I could still play games.
But what about ps3 BC or PS Vita 2?
Clearly joking, this is amazing
Really don't like the design of it. But hey, im sure its designed that way for a reason, and if it means more people get to enjoy gaming, im all for it. Good on Sony!
Nice one Sony, very cool to do this
Great to see Sony finally doing something like this. It's long overdue.
This is awesome but can’t we also get support for ds4 to work on ps5 games please??
@PlayStationGamer3919 the design looks a little confusing? Are you in any way an expert on accessible design? If not, you should probably just not say stuff like that. This thing isn't for you.
I am always happy to see all the accessibility options in modern games. Great to see it extending to hardware.
Bravo to Sony on this one.
So, basically coping Xbox?
Typical.
@commentlife bear in mind that so far we've had absolutely nothing in the way of toxic "why does this even need to exist" comments - which is great, but it does mean that right now, you're the bottom of the barrel of this comments section! (On the plus side, it's a pretty good barrel today)
A user has an opinion about the look of something but is wanting to buy it anyway, even though they're not the intended demographic (and they know it) - I don't really see the need to create drama (other than, it's the internet so if you're not offended, you don't exist, or something?). No one is actively claiming expertise and asking Sony to change this for the sake of able bodied people or anything
@danlk1ng if a person wants to buy an accessible device because they think it'll be fun, or they're a real big fan of the manufacturer, that's fine. But to call the design confusing when it was designed for an entirely different person with different motor skills and abilities, that deserves calling out in my opinion. I'm not creating drama, just suggesting you shouldn't comment like that on something when the design CLEARLY isn't made for an able bodied individual to play fighting games or arcade games on. I stand 100% behind my original comment.
@commentlife and I stand by my response - you seem to be picking nits because there are no true ***** around to call out. People are allowed to express an opinion. It's not like they were calling for a boycott or in any way objecting to the design, they just thought it looked confusing. People are allowed to think things look confusing. Time to move on with your life and find something actually significant to call out if that's what you're after. Maybe find a facebook post to do with The Last Of Us or something and go blow off some steam on some idiots
@danlk1ng haha you are the one looking for drama by injecting yourself into this conversation in the manner you've chosen to do so. He's allowed to state his opinion, just as much as I am allowed to call out his lack of perspective on the matter, just like you're free to start whatever s$%! you want on the internet. And so the cycle continues.
@commentlif but that's the thing. You don't need to call it out. He knows he doesn't have the same perspective as someone who needs this controller for accessibility reasons. And we know he's not coming from that perspective too (I mean maybe that's a big assumption on my part but I doubt it). Merely calling what you're doing "calling out" is inserting drama into a situation that doesn't need it. If you'd "suggested that people with expertise designed the controller and there were very good reasons that it looks the way it does" that'd be one thing, but instead you're "calling out a lack of perspective". It's just not necessary, despite the fact that you're free to do it
@KnightRider1982 So are you saying they shouldn't have an accessibility controller because it would be copying Xbox? Heaven forbid people with disabilities be able to play games
@pharos_haven
What I'm saying is copying each other is wrong.
Sony should have done this years ago, but they didn't.
@TommyNL No, I'm deadly serious. DSE is joke. This looks like serious customisable gadget that can alternate quite bad design of DS4 and mainly DSense.
It’s super neat.
I hope it’s affordable.
I remember way back in the day there was a 1 handed controller for the PS1. A guy I went to school with had one because he had been born with only fully developed hand. It allowed him to experience so many games; he became a huge RPG nut like me and we swapped strategies on Final Fantasy Tactics in school.
I love these types of controllers because they allow people who wouldn’t normally be able to enjoy video games.
@KnightRider1982 I think everybody agrees with that but later than never.
Not someone who needs it but I can see myself trying it out. Make different configurations for different games.
@Savage_Joe Personally it reminds me of a Duel Disk from Yu-Gi-Oh!
However I do see what you're talking about, does share a resemblance to Simon Says pad.
As a disabled gamer myself, I am grateful I still use the DualSense (right now). I have it positioned in such a way in my lap so I am not actually taking the weight of it in my arms.
This is a great concept though. I had resigned myself to the fact, due to my progressive condition, the PS5 and Series X may be my last consoles... or so I thought. Maybe not with this sort of hardware.
I wonder, does it have the ability to vibrate about it somewhere? Like haptic feedback. If so, it would be a good idea if the sensitivity of that is also adjustable on the controller, not only within a games settings, as many are now. Not everyone needs the default setting.
Tap here to load 45 comments
Leave A Comment
Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...