Sony has announced Project Leonardo, its new accessibility controller for the PS5 — watch the video below.
According to the official PlayStation blog post, the upcoming product was “designed to remove barriers to gaming and help disabled players play more easily, comfortably and for longer” on the console.
“Accessibility is an important topic for us at PlayStation, and we want to continue to raise the bar so that every gamer can experience the joy of the game,” the message says.
“Whether it’s the robust accessibility options in PlayStation Studios games like Santa Monica Studio’s God Of War Ragnarok or Naughty Dog’s The Last Of Us Part I, or the wide range of features in the user interface of our PS4 and PS5 consoles, we’re passionate about it. reducing the game barriers for each player.”
Leonardo includes button display and control profiles, the latter of which will allow users to “easily switch between them.”
Thanks to four 3.5mm AUX ports for additional accessories, the device can be used as a standalone device or paired with additional Project Leonardo or DualSense wireless controllers.
Introducing Project Leonardo for PS5, a highly customisable accessibility controller kit designed to help players with disabilities play more easily, more comfortably, and for longer periods.
More info: https://t.co/UuYuBIGPad pic.twitter.com/Azd5w9Kqd5
— PlayStation UK (@PlayStationUK) January 5, 2023
As for Leonardo’s “flexible, adaptable design” (see preview images above), Sony said gamers will be able to “move analog joysticks as close to each other or as far apart as they like.”
“The controller lies flat and does not need to be held, so players can put it on a tabletop or on a wheelchair tray,” the message says. “It can be easily mounted on AMPS mounts or tripods, and can also be rotated 360 degrees for the most convenient use.
“Players can also program the “north” orientation of the analog joysticks according to their preferred controller orientation.”
Sony has not yet confirmed the launch date or the price of Project Leonardo — additional information and photos can be found here.
This happened after Microsoft announced a new line of accessibility-oriented accessories in May last year. Over the summer, Nintendo also confirmed that it was working on a cross-platform accessibility controller.
