The PlayStation Access Controller is a bold statement from PlayStation that the platform holder understands the importance of hardware accessibility. Gamers who were previously unable to enjoy PlayStation games due to a lack of hardware choice can now freely expand their gaming horizons.
It’s important to note up front that while the Access Controller may bear similarities to the Xbox Adaptive Controller, it’s designed to be a complete controller solution, with no external input devices required. It’s backed by powerful accessibility software, rather than acting as a switching hub like the XAC. This has both advantages and disadvantages.
The controller itself is nice-looking, matching the black and white color scheme of the PS5 and DualSense controller. The rubber grip on the base is a sturdy foundation that ensures the device is stable when placed on a table or wheelchair tray, and it also has four connection points for different wheelchair mounting solutions. The plastic feels durable and has survived drop tests on both carpet and wooden floors – it’s bound to fall occasionally if it’s placed on your lap. The buttons have a satisfying tactile click, ensuring you can feel and hear the click without having to look down at the controller. The circular design fits perfectly in your hand, allowing you to reach all eight buttons, and the thumbsticks can also be retracted and extended by holding the lock button.
In addition to the controller, the box also contains several button caps, one flat cap, one pillow cap, one convex cap, and a double-length cap for connecting two buttons together. The process of removing the button caps is simple and effortless: pressing a low-resistance button removes the latch, and there are magnets to help guide the new button cap into place. There are three types of joysticks that are easy to replace as well, and the arcade-style joysticks are perfect for players who prefer to hold the joysticks in their hands. The selection of accessories is well thought out and provides enough options for experimentation and instruction. However, even in its early days, there was a fundamental obstacle to the Access controller, which was the lack of an option to change the button resistance. For players who lack the physical strength to press buttons with regular resistance, this will be a struggle.
The Access Controller is designed to be a complete controller solution without the need for an external switch, and it does achieve that for many disabled gamers who pair it with the DualSense. However, a single Access Controller doesn’t have enough buttons or sticks to fully replace the functionality of a DualSense controller. Instead, there are workarounds. You can get creative and pair the Access Controller with a second Access Controller, a DualSense, or both as part of their accessible gaming ecosystem. If you can’t use a DualSense controller, then you’ll have to buy a second Access Controller to create a full controller setup with 16 buttons. Buying a pair of Access Controllers will cost nearly £160, which is a hefty price to pay for a full controller.
The Access controller has four 3.5mm ports (a pair of eight), while the Xbox Adaptive controller has 20. The limited number of ports for external peripherals is a barrier to customization, especially if you need eight external switches or thumbstick inputs. As a result, the design of the device will alienate people whose needs diverge too far from the core functionality of the controller, which is a huge shame.
The PlayStation Access Controller as a whole is a great accessibility package with some neat design features, but the accessibility software is where the magic happens. Players have full control over button customization, and every input is free to showcase your abilities rather than highlight your limitations.
The Access Controller Configuration Wizard is simple and easy to use. It walks you through button function mapping, controller orientation setting, joystick sensitivity adjustment, and adding a second Access Controller. This process does not provide much guidance on how to layout the button configuration, thus allowing players the option to create a custom controller profile that they feel comfortable with. I would guess that your first few hours will consist of trying different layouts until you find one that works for you. During gameplay, simply short-press the controller’s profile button to quickly and easily adjust settings, then return to the setup wizard.
Players can set any button to be a toggle button, switching between a held-down and lifted position, which is perfect for actions that require holding a button and games that lack a toggle option. Players can also map two simultaneous controller inputs to a single button, which is useful for games with a lot of simultaneous presses like Spider-Man 2 or the rage mode in God of War: Ragnarok. Game developers should take note and include these advanced button remapping features in future games.
The controller supports storing up to three custom controller profiles, which can be easily cycled through during gameplay by simply pressing the profile button. I find that I usually stick to one profile and adjust it based on the type of games I play or the importance of certain buttons (which I know I will use most often). It may be useful for players who need a one-handed controller: by storing a pair of control schemes, players can switch a single stick between left and right stick functions. This type of experimentation is at the heart of the PlayStation Access controller, and similarly, the software itself is what makes it an innovative device different from the Xbox Adaptive controller.
After spending some time with the device, I feel the biggest limitation of the Access Controller is the heavy reliance on the DualSense controller, which has become a major barrier to disabled gamers playing games on the PS5. The Access Controller itself does not support haptics or a touchpad, forcing gamers to use the DualSense controller to access those elements. This means that the functionality of the Access Controller will be limited for gamers who are unable to use the DualSense or incorporate it into their setup. Even if you use two Access Controllers, you still need the DualSense to access the touchpad for swipes. If games like God of War: Ragnarok assign accessibility shortcuts to directional touchpad swipes, the Access Controller actually blocks important in-game accessibility support. If you can’t move your arms, switching between two Access Controllers and a DualSense linked via the co-pilot is impossible without physical support. Thankfully, it’s easy to instruct people on which button they need to press without interfering with your setup or hand position.
The portability of the PS5 Access Controller is a big plus, it’s very durable so you can take it with you without worrying about it getting damaged. You can easily take it to a friend’s house and know that your button configuration will be saved as the default. No fuss, just plug it in and use it.
Overall, it’s clear that PlayStation has taken great care to improve upon the previous inadequacies of hardware accessibility, which is a big step forward for the company. The Access Controller software is a real highlight, with an impressive level of customization. It gives gamers with disabilities the opportunity to experience PlayStation games without unnecessary obstacles. While the controller has multiple advantages, it also has limitations, and if you need a full controller without the DualSense, then you’ll need to buy a pair of devices. If players can’t hold the DualSense controller, if they find the buttons too resistant, if they need more than four external peripherals or want to use haptics or a touchpad, their functionality will still be limited.
