Sony prioritises gaming accessibility by unveiling new controller for disabled gamers at CES 2023

By Alma Fabiani

Published Jan 6, 2023 at 11:32 AM

Reading time: 1 minute

Every year, the Consumer Technology Association (CTA) blesses us with its annual trade show, the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), where future-forward products are debuted, partnerships are forged and investments are made. CES 2023 was no exception, with countless inventions already making headlines worldwide.

Among them is Sony’s Project Leonardo, a brand new gaming controller for its PlayStation 5 that aims to bring improved accessibility to players with disabilities. After teaming up with several charities, including US-based AbleGamers and UK-based SpecialEffect, the Japanese multinational conglomerate revealed its “highly customisable kit” made of different buttons, triggers and sticks at the renowned event on Wednesday 4 January.

Speaking to the BBC about the promising controller, a Sony Interactive Entertainment official said that Project Leonardo would work “out of the box” to help gamers play “more easily, more comfortably and for longer periods.”

“We feel the breadth of hardware and software customisation options in Project Leonardo is unique and stands out from any other accessibility controller on the market today,” the official went on to say. Although Microsoft released a controller with the same mission back in 2018—the Adaptive Controller, which sells for £74.99 at its UK store though extra buttons and joysticks can cost much more—Sony seems to believe its own technology will go above and beyond when it comes to providing greater accessibility to gaming.

“Project Leonardo is a true passion project for our team. We’ve drawn on 28 years of design expertise at PlayStation to create a controller kit that we hope many players with disabilities will find useful.”

Sony prioritises gaming accessibility by unveiling new controller for disabled gamers at CES 2023

Manufacturers other than Microsoft, such as Hori, have also developed accessible controllers. In 2022, the third-party video game hardware company known for its special focus on retro-themed game controllers 8BitDo made one for gamers with spinal muscular atrophy after being contacted by a parent.

Not one to miss a good opportunity to show off, also at CES 2023, Sony unveiled the first trailer for the feature film based on the racing game Gran Turismo and revealed it had sold more than 30 million PlayStation 5 consoles as of December 2022.

Project Leonardo, which can be paired with an existing DualSense controller or used on its own, is currently in development and does not have a release date or price yet.

Keep On Reading

By Fatou Ferraro Mboup

UK museum reclassifies Roman Emperor Elagabalus as a transgender woman

By Fleurine Tideman

I love you Barbie, but we need Feral Women Media now more than ever

By Bianca Borissova

Bunny, cat, fox, boy, girl: What type of pretty are you? Unpacking TikTok’s latest beauty obsession

By Abby Amoakuh

Drake calls for release of Tory Lanez, proving once more that he’s a rapper for the manosphere

By Fatou Ferraro Mboup

Police rescue over 800 good-looking people lured into human trafficking love scam centre

By Charlie Sawyer

Golden Globes 2024: Kylie Jenner forbids Timothée Chalamet from taking picture with Selena Gomez

By Abby Amoakuh

Ice Spice fans hit back at online trolls following no-makeup selfie hate

By Charlie Sawyer

What to do if your landlord increases your rent, from negotiating to appealing to a tribunal

By Fatou Ferraro Mboup

Robert F. Kennedy Jr’s Viva Kennedy 24 campaign: A bid for Latino votes amid controversy

By Fatou Ferraro Mboup

From Love & Hip Hop to the latest Offset drama, let’s unpack the queen that is Cardi B

By Fatou Ferraro Mboup

China’s on a mission to ban clothes that hurt people’s feelings. But what does that mean?

By Fatou Ferraro Mboup

Spirit Airlines flight breaks into violent brawl as passenger throws punches

By Charlie Sawyer

UN Security Council urges immediate ceasefire amid hospital bombing in Gaza

By Abby Amoakuh

Inside Just Stop Oil training sessions where new recruits are taught how to deal with angry drivers 

By Charlie Sawyer

How much is the morning after pill and why are we still paying for it?

By Abby Amoakuh

GQ Australia Man of the Year Troye Sivan dominated 2023. Here are all the receipts

By Abby Amoakuh

The things we still don’t understand about sexual assault: Why we need EU-wide Only Yes Means Yes laws

By Abby Amoakuh

Kevin Spacey receives standing ovation at Oxford University lecture on cancel culture

By Charlie Sawyer

New Armie Hammer ex-girlfriend reveals actor has only gotten worse since cannibalism claims

By Charlie Sawyer

What to do if Monzo freezes or closes your bank account