Accessible Gaming with the Xbox Adaptive Controller
It has been leaked but here is the official details released. Today Microsoft has announced their new controller specifically aimed at adapting to anyones specific needs.
Check out the full release below and let us know your thoughts.
Snoogs
At Microsoft, we believe in empowering
every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. Our CEO, Satya
Nadella, has spoken about how essential it
is that we push the boundaries of what technology can do in a concerted effort
to be inclusive of everyone around the world. These principles have the deepest
impact in how we are building products that are designed for everyone. We have
been on a journey of inclusive design, which celebrates and draws inspiration
from people who are often overlooked in the typical design process.
As I discussed at the annual DICE conference in
February, when we truly design for all, we help make the world more equal.
That’s why I’m so excited about today’s Microsoft Story Labs feature which
shares an in-depth look at our newest piece of hardware which we believe will
enable and empower even more Xbox One and Windows 10 gamers across the globe:
The Xbox Adaptive Controller.
By
taking an inclusive design approach and considerations of gamers who might not
be able to reach all the bumpers and triggers or hold a controller for an
extended period of time, for example, we were able to design a controller that provides
a way for more fans to enjoy gaming. On our journey of inclusive design, we
have taken a wider view of our fans and a more inclusive approach to designing
for them.
For
gamers with limited mobility, finding controller solutions to fit their individual
needs has been challenging. The solutions that exist today are often expensive,
hard to find, or require significant technical skill to create. A number of
individuals and organizations are creating custom solutions, but it has been
often difficult for them to scale when most rigs need to be so personalized.
Joining the
Xbox family of controllers and devices, the Xbox Adaptive Controller was
created to address these challenges and remove barriers to gaming by being
adaptable to more gamers’ needs. It was developed in partnership with
organizations around the world, including The AbleGamers
Charity, The Cerebral Palsy
Foundation, Craig Hospital, SpecialEffect, and Warfighter Engaged. We worked closely
with them and directly with gamers who have limited mobility to assist in our
development. Our goal was to make the device as adaptable as possible, so
gamers can create a setup that works for them in a way that is plug-and-play,
extensible, and affordable. In addition to working with common adaptive
switches that gamers with limited mobility may already own, it has two large
buttons built in. These buttons can also be reprogrammed to act as any of the
standard controller’s button inputs via the Xbox Accessories app.
To make the
Xbox Adaptive Controller a viable solution for the widest possible range of
gamers with limited mobility, we’ve worked closely with third-party
manufacturers to support external inputs which can be plugged in to the new
controller. These inputs include PDP’s One-Handed Joystick for the Xbox
Adaptive Controller, Logitech’s Extreme 3D Pro Joystick,
and Quadstick’s Game Controller. We
couldn’t be prouder to have their support in introducing the Xbox Adaptive Controller.
More recommended partner devices can be
found here.
The Xbox
Adaptive Controller has been years in the making, though we realize that this
is only one step along our journey of inclusive design and that we have more
work ahead. This has been a passion project for people around the world, both
inside Microsoft and beyond. We’re thrilled to introduce it to the world today,
tell the story behind it, and take what we have learned on our journey to
inform future initiatives in inclusive design. Make sure you check out today’s feature on Microsoft Story Labs and hear directly from Microsoft Chief Accessibility Officer Jenny
Lay-Flurrie in her blog today to commemorate Global
Accessibility Awareness Day.
At
$99.99 USD and available exclusively through Microsoft
Store, the Xbox Adaptive Controller will offer significant
value over the customized alternatives that exist today. We’re looking forward
to sharing more about the Xbox Adaptive Controller in a few weeks at E3. The
Xbox Adaptive Controller will be launching later this year, and we’ll share
more information soon about pre-order availability.
Meanwhile,
don’t forget to check out Ability Week at Microsoft Store locations starting
Tuesday, May 29, through Saturday, June 2, a five-day experience of events that
showcases hearing, vision, mobility, and cognitive assistive technologies that
empower people with accessibility needs.
For all of the latest from Aussie Gamers Express, make sure you follow us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and also our weekly podcast.
Aussie Gamers Express
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