During CES 2023 presentation, Sony announced Project Leonardo, a new customizable controller kit aimed at players with disabilities, as per Engadget.
With Project Leonardo, Sony is building a better PlayStation 5 controller. It's a kit that would help players with disabilities to play comfortably and more easily.
Project Leonardo Will Allow Players to Customize Their Game Experience
According to Sony, since the controller is highly customizable, the system in Project Leonardo will work "out of the box" with the PS5.
Players will be able to customize their game experience on PS5 using the controller kit. They will be allowed to craft their ideal gamepad through button mapping. This means the controller's buttons can be mapped to any supported function on the controller.
Players can also map two functions onto the same button. According to IGN, the PS5 will also have up to three control profiles.
Players can store their preferred settings using multiple profiles. Likewise, they can easily switch between them.
Project Leonardo can be used by players on its own. Moreover, it can also be paired with an additional Project Leonardo or DualSense controller.
The controller kit is also designed to be compatible with external, third-party devices through its four 3.5mm AUX ports.
With Project Leonardo, there are swappable components that include a variety of analog stick caps and buttons in different shapes and sizes.
Based on the initial images released, we can also see a set of circular gamepads which is lined with buttons and directional input methods.
The controller does not need to be held as it can lie flat on a table or can be mounted on a tripod.
Accessibility experts, community members, and game developers contributed to the development of the controller kit.
According to a PlayStation blog, currently, Project Leonardo is still in active development. Sony is also continuing to gather valuable feedback from the community regarding the controller kit.
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Sony Fosters Partnership With Organizations in Designing Project Leonardo
In designing Project Leonardo, Sony partnered with a handful of organizations, including AbleGamers, SpecialEffect, and Stack Up.
It seems that Sony is taking clear cues from Microsoft with the project. The tech company has been a leader in accessibility tech, particularly in the gaming space.
In 2018, Microsoft released the Xbox Adaptive Controller. Since then, the company had many of the same selling points as Sony's new project, but it comes in a longer and flatter package.
Microsoft also put up a new laboratory that focused on building inclusive hardware. The company also has a five-year plan to improve the technology landscape for people with disabilities.
According to Sony designer So Morimoto, their team tested over a dozen designs with accessibility experts in looking for approaches that would help them address key challenges to effective controller use.
As of writing, there is no release window yet for Project Leonardo.
Meanwhile, during Sony's CES press conference, we heard more positive news about the PS5. PlayStation head Jim Ryan officially announced the end of the PS5 shortage.
According to Ryan, those who want a PS5 should have a much easier time finding one at retailers globally.
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