Sony releases official PlayStation 5 controller for disabled gamers

Sony has teamed up with accessibility experts to create a new controller that is designed for disabled gamers, removing the need to purchase additional third-party accessories and manually wire them into a controller.

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Sony Interactive Entertainment has partnered with AbleGamers in the US to create a new controller called the "Access Controller," which features a "highly customizable kit" of various buttons and triggers, enabling the gamer to set up a controller that is specifically suited for their needs.

The release of the Access Controller is a first-of-its-kind product from Sony and the PS5, and the idea behind it is to remove the need to purchase additional third-party accessories and buttons and wire it all together, per Alvin Daniel, Senior Technical Program Manager at Sony Interactive Entertainment.

"When they came up with their own bespoke solutions for various players, they would inevitably try to address three issues - the thumbsticks, pressing buttons, or having to hold the controller. If you have challenges in those three areas, this controller will help regardless of your underlying condition," said Daniel

"I think particularly if you're a young person today, gaming is such a big part of popular culture, that you are socially isolated or you're left behind if you can't participate in the same experiences your friends or your schoolmates are doing. We have seen that we bring joy to players who couldn't play before," said Daniel to the BBC