Accessibility is really becoming an issue taken head-on by the video game industry. While its games, particularly from Naughty Dog (The Last of Us, Uncharted) and Santa Monica Studio (God of War), are hailed for their accessibility, Sony paradoxically did not have a suitable driver for their account. The error is already fixed.
On the occasion of CES that is being held this week in Las Vegas (United States), the Japanese company has presented its Leonardo project, a controller inspired by the DualSense so that players with disabilities can take advantage of the PlayStation 5.
In the footsteps of Xbox
For a long time, games have focused on configuring the controls to adapt them as much as possible to different disabilities (display configurations and size of the elements, choice of font, adaptation of colors on the screen, ease of ordering, subtitles, etc. . ). The games multiply the scenarios to offer themselves to the greatest number, from god of war ragnarok to Far Cry 6 via force horizon 5 They have spared no possibilities with over fifty options.
In this, Microsoft with its Xbox Accessibility Guidelines It was an engine in reflection. This is a bible of recommendations for game developers to support them in designing a game and making sure they think about it from the design stage to make it suitable for all players, non-disabled and with disabilities of all kinds. To take their fight, Microsoft has also developed the Xbox adaptive joystick, a giant controller that makes it easier for players who suffer from mobility problems to control. Equipped with a larger cross and button, it also allows you to add suitable accessories thanks to its connection ports on the back.
A fully customizable controller
With tens of millions of gamers affected around the world, accessibility becomes a central issue that Sony can no longer ignore by not offering adequate equipment. The “Leonardo project for PlayStation 5” was developed with experts on disability issues, but also with interested gamers, associations and game developers, Sony explains. Behind this code name is a very specific and “highly customizable” product, promises the tenor of the industry. A desired comfortable controller with a long battery life -which, however, is not the strong point of the DualSense of the latest generation console-, which is easily posed to play.
This controller can be associated with several well-known accessories thanks to its four jack ports (touch pad, switches, analog stick, pedal, etc.) and is aimed at players with different levels of motor skills. To do this, Project Leonardo will come in the form of a kit with interchangeable components, different types of buttons and sizes of sticks. Items can be placed as needed to have the most appropriate game setup for the player’s abilities (range of movement, support strength, physical ability, etc.).
It will also be possible to program the different functions that the controller supports, create different profiles and easily switch from one to the other with the push of a button, which already exists in the future DualSense Edge pro controller arriving in January. And this controller will be able to work wirelessly with a classic DualSense controller to possibly play with a partner as a single controller or to play more comfortably but also with another Project Leonardo controller.
At the moment, Sony has not communicated a release date or price.
Source: BFM TV
