Gaming is for everyone and for this reason several companies, studios and developers have gotten to work creating products that allow video games to reach more people. With games like God of War: Ragnarok Y The Last of Us: Part IISony has demonstrated its commitment to accessibility, but there was something that was missing until today: a control that was accessible and customizable.
As part of Sony’s presentation at CES 2023 there were several news about PlayStation. One of them was the revelation of Project Leonardo, a new Sony project that seeks to bring gaming to more people, but what exactly is it about?
Project Leonardo is the code name of a new control that is in development for PlayStation 5. It is a controller made with the help of accessibility experts, community members and video game developers that seeks to be a highly customizable option that allows players to with disabilities can play easier and more comfortably for longer periods of time.
“Project Leonardo is part of the PS5 family of products and is based on the same design concept. We were inspired by the idea that all gamers enjoy the world of PlayStation together. Our team tested more than a dozen designs with experts in accessibility, seeking approaches that would help address key challenges to effective command use.
We ultimately settled on a ‘split-knob’ design that allows the position of the left and right thumbs to be changed almost freely, can be used without holding the thumbstick, and offers great flexibility in changing buttons and caps. sticks,” explained So Morimoto, designer at Sony Interactive Entertainment.
An important detail of Project Leonardo is that it has a symmetrical design that is made so that it can be placed on different surfaces and thus does not have to be held. You can check it below:
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Project Leonardo will be compatible with various accessories
Similar to the Xbox Adaptive Controller, Project Leonardo will be a controller with a robust kit of interchangeable components. With this, gamers will have the opportunity to select between different analog sticks and buttons of different sizes and shapes to create a controller that suits their needs.
Project Leonardo will also offer you the possibility to remap buttons directly from the PlayStation 5 and even configure them so that one button has 2 functions. It will also be able to connect to DualSense controllers, different switches and third-party accessories so that players have the opportunity to use the accessories that allow them to play comfortably.
“Since players can customize Project Leonardo to their needs, there is no ‘correct’ way. We want them to be able to create their own configurations. The controller can also flexibly accept combinations of accessibility accessories to create a unique aesthetic. I’m excited that the design is completed by collaborating with the players rather than presenting them with a single form,” Morimoto concluded.
And you, what did you think of Project Leonardo? What other efforts do you hope to see from Sony to make gaming on the PlayStation 5 even more accessible? Tell us in the comments.
CES 2023 will take place from January 5 to 8, 2023. You can learn more about this technology event by clicking here.
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