Accessibility is an important topic for us at PlayStation, and we want to continue to raise the bar for every gamer to discover the joy of gaming. Whether it’s the robust accessibility options of PlayStation Studios games like Santa Monica Studio’s God of War Ragnarök or Naughty Dog’s The Last of Us Part I, or the wide range of user interface features on our consoles PS4 and PS5, we are passionate about reducing the barriers to play for every player.
Today at CES, we announced the next step in our journey to make gaming more accessible: Project Leonardo for PlayStation 5. Developed with key input from accessibility experts, community members, and game developers, Project Leonardo is our code name for a new, highly customizable controller. kit that works “out of the box” to help many gamers with disabilities play games easier, more comfortably, and for longer periods of time.
Through conversations with accessibility experts and amazing organizations like AbleGamers, Special effects and Stack, we’ve designed a highly configurable controller that works in tandem with many third-party accessibility accessories and integrates with the PS5 console to open up new ways to play. It’s designed to address common challenges faced by many gamers with limited motor control, including difficulty holding a controller for long periods of time, accurately pressing small groups of buttons or triggers, or positioning controls. thumbs and fingers optimally on a standard controller.
Here are some of the key features:
Highly customizable gaming experience
Material customizations. Project Leonardo for PS5 is a canvas for gamers to create their own gaming experience. It features a robust kit of interchangeable components, including a variety of analog stick caps and buttons in different shapes and sizes.
Players can use these components to create a wide range of control layouts. And the distance between the analog stick and the gamepad can be adjusted according to the player’s preference. These components allow players to find a setup that suits their particular strength, range of motion, and physical needs.
Software Customizations. On the PS5 console, players have an array of options to customize their Project Leonardo gaming experience:
- Button mapping
- Controller buttons can be programmed to any supported function and multiple buttons can be mapped to the same function. Conversely, players can map two functions (like “R2” + “L2”) to the same button.
- Control Profiles
- Players can store their programmed button settings as control profiles and easily switch between them by pressing the profile button.
- Up to three control profiles can be stored and accessed by the player from their PS5 console at any time.
Works in conjunction with other accessibility devices and accessories
Project Leonardo can be used as a standalone controller or paired with additional Project Leonardo or DualSense wireless controllers. Up to two Project Leonardo controllers and one DualSense wireless controller can be used together as a single virtual controller, allowing gamers to mix and match devices to meet their particular gaming needs, or play collaboratively with others .
For example, players can augment their DualSense controller with one Project Leonardo controller or use two Project Leonardo controllers alone. A friend or family member can also help out by helping to control the player’s game character with a DualSense controller or a second Project Leonardo controller. Controllers can be dynamically enabled or disabled and used in any combination.
Project Leonardo is expandable via four 3.5mm AUX ports to support a variety of external switches and third-party accessibility accessories. This allows users to integrate specialized switches, buttons or analog sticks into the Project Leonardo controller. External accessories can be connected or disconnected dynamically, and each can be configured to act like any other button.
Flexible and adaptable design
Project Leonardo’s split and symmetrical design allows gamers to reposition the analog sticks as close or as far as they want. The controller lays flat and does not need to be held, so gamers can place it on a table or wheelchair tray. It can be easily attached to AMPS* mounts or tripods, and can be rotated 360 degrees for more comfortable use. Players can also program the “north” orientation on the thumbsticks to match their preferred controller orientation.
Sony Interactive Entertainment designer So Morimoto shares some thoughts on how his team approached the industrial design of the Leonardo project:
“The Leonardo project is part of the PS5 product family 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 accessibility experts, looking for approaches that would help address key challenges to effective controller use. We ultimately settled on a “split controller” design that allows nearly free left/right thumb repositioning, can be used without needing to be held, and features a very flexible swap of buttons and stick caps. .
“Because players can customize Project Leonardo to suit their needs, there is no ‘right’ form factor. We want to empower them to create their own configurations. The controller can also flexibly accept combinations of accessibility accessories to create a unique aesthetic.I’m thrilled that the design is completed by collaborating with players rather than presenting them with a unique form factor.
– So Morimoto, Designer, Sony Interactive Entertainment
Look forward
The Leonardo project is currently in development and we continue to gather valuable feedback from the community. We would like to thank all the wonderful organizations and accessibility experts who support us in this effort.
We are also grateful to everyone in the community who has advocated for greater accessibility of games. You are the reason we do our job and your passion inspires us every day. It is truly a privilege for us to create products that better meet your needs. We look forward to sharing more in the future, including additional product features and the launch schedule.
*AMPS is an industry standard mounting screw pattern for attaching devices to equipment, including accessibility equipment.
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