Introducing Project Leonardo for PlayStation 5, a highly customizable accessibility controller kit – PlayStation.Blog
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Accessibility is a crucial matter to us at PlayStation, and we need to proceed elevating the bar to allow each gamer to expertise the enjoyment of play. Whether or not it’s the strong accessibility choices in PlayStation Studios video games like Sony Santa Monica’s God of Conflict Ragnarök or Naughty Canine’s The Final of Us Half I, or the big selection of options in our PS4 and PS5 console UI, we’re keen about decreasing boundaries to play for each gamer.
In the present day at CES, we introduced the subsequent step in our journey to make gaming extra accessible: Mission Leonardo for PlayStation 5. Developed with key contributions from accessibility specialists, group members, and sport builders, Mission Leonardo is our codename for a brand new extremely customizable controller package that works “out of the field” to assist many gamers with disabilities play video games extra simply, extra comfortably, and for longer durations.
By conversations with accessibility specialists and unbelievable organizations like AbleGamers, SpecialEffect and Stack Up, we’ve designed a extremely configurable controller that works in tandem with many third-party accessibility equipment and integrates with the PS5 console to open up new methods of gaming. It’s constructed to handle frequent challenges confronted by many gamers with restricted motor management, together with problem holding a controller for lengthy durations, precisely urgent small clusters of buttons or triggers, or positioning thumbs and fingers optimally on a typical controller.
Listed here are among the key options:
Extremely customizable play expertise
{Hardware} customizations. Mission Leonardo for PS5 is a canvas for avid gamers to craft their very own play expertise. It features a strong package of swappable parts, together with a wide range of analog stick caps and buttons in several styles and sizes.
Gamers can use these parts to craft a big selection of management layouts. And the space of the analog stick from the sport pad could be adjusted to swimsuit the participant’s choice. These parts enable gamers to discover a configuration that works for his or her power, vary of movement, and explicit bodily wants.
Software program customizations. On the PS5 console gamers have an array of choices to tailor their Mission Leonardo play expertise:
- Button mapping
- The controller’s buttons could be programmed to any supported operate and a number of buttons could be mapped to the identical operate. Conversely, gamers can map two capabilities (like “R2” + “L2”) onto the identical button.
- Management profiles
- Gamers can retailer their programmed button settings as management profiles and simply swap between them by urgent the profile button.
- As much as three management profiles could be saved and accessed by the participant from their PS5 console at any time.
Works collaboratively with different units and accessibility equipment
Mission Leonardo can be utilized as a standalone controller or paired with further Mission Leonardo or DualSense wi-fi controllers. As much as two Mission Leonardo controllers and one DualSense wi-fi controller can be utilized collectively as a single digital controller, permitting gamers to combine and match units to suit their explicit gameplay wants, or to play collaboratively with others.
For instance, gamers can increase their DualSense controller with a Mission Leonardo controller or use two Mission Leonardo controllers on their very own. A pal or member of the family also can help by serving to to manage the participant’s sport character with a DualSense controller or a second Mission Leonardo controller. The controllers could be dynamically turned on or off and utilized in any mixture.
Mission Leonardo is expandable by 4 3.5mm AUX ports to assist a wide range of exterior switches and third-party accessibility equipment. This allows customers to combine specialty switches, buttons or analog sticks with the Mission Leonardo controller. The exterior equipment could be dynamically linked or disconnected, and every could be configured to behave like some other button.
Versatile, adaptable design
Mission Leonardo’s break up, symmetric design permits gamers to reposition the analog sticks as shut collectively or as far aside as they like. The controller lies flat and doesn’t must be held, so gamers can lay it on a tabletop or a wheelchair tray. It may be simply secured to AMPS mounts* or tripods, and could be oriented 360 levels for essentially the most snug use. Gamers also can program the “north” orientation on the analog sticks to match their most popular controller orientation.
Sony Interactive Leisure designer So Morimoto shares some insights on how his group approached the economic design of Mission Leonardo:
“Mission Leonardo is a part of the PS5 product household and relies on the identical design idea. We have been impressed by the thought of all gamers having fun with the world of PlayStation collectively. Our group examined over a dozen designs with accessibility specialists, on the lookout for approaches that will assist handle key challenges to efficient controller use. We lastly settled on a ‘break up controller’ design that enables close to free-form left/proper thumbstick repositionability, can be utilized with no need to be held, and options very versatile button and stick cap swapping.
“As a result of gamers can customise Mission Leonardo in line with their wants, there isn’t a one ‘proper’ type issue. We need to empower them to create their very own configurations. The controller also can flexibly settle for mixtures of accessibility equipment to create a singular aesthetic. I’m excited that the design will likely be accomplished by collaboration with gamers fairly than presenting them with a single type issue.”
– So Morimoto, Designer, Sony Interactive Leisure
Wanting forward
Mission Leonardo is at present in improvement and we proceed to collect precious suggestions from the group. We’d wish to thank all of the great organizations and accessibility specialists who’re supporting us on this effort.
We’re additionally grateful to everybody in the neighborhood who has advocated for larger gaming accessibility. You’re the cause we do our work and your ardour conjures up us every single day. It’s actually a privilege for us to create merchandise that higher serve your wants. We look ahead to sharing extra sooner or later, together with further product options and launch timing.
*AMPS is an industry-standard mounting screw sample for attaching units to gear, together with accessibility gear.
