Microsoft has officially unveiled the Xbox Adaptive Controller, which it says is the first console controller designed and made specifically for disabled gamers. As well as the Xbox One, the controller will work with Windows 10 PC games.
The controller has a simple design with two large buttons and a D-pad, but the buttons are programmable. Add a number of jacks that can be connected to a wide range of other controllers and you have a controller that offers unmatched options for customisation. There are 19 jacks, allowing various joysticks, buttons, foot pedals and other controlling devices to be hooked up.
Solomon Romney, a Microsoft Store learning specialist who was born without fingers on his left hand, said: “I can customise how I interface with the Xbox Adaptive Controller to whatever I want. If I want to play a game entirely with my feet, I can. I can make the controls fit my body, my desires, and I can change them anytime I want. You plug in whatever you want and go. It takes virtually no time to set it up and use it. It could not be simpler.”
Microsoft envisages “gaming for everyone”
The prototype for what would eventually become the Adaptive Controller emerged from an internal Microsoft “hackathon” in 2015. The controller that arrived from those sessions was able to work with a range of third-party accessories. It was refined the following year and coincided with a blog post from Xbox’s chief Phil Spencer that talked about Microsoft’s vision of providing “gaming for everyone”. He added that this should incorporate an effort to “help our engineers better understand the needs of those with varying levels of physical ability”.
The final product was designed with the help of numerous groups active in the sphere of gaming accessibility, including AbleGamers, SpecialEffect, veteran-focused charity Warfighter Engaged, and the Cerebral Palsy Foundation.
Muscular dystrophy charity calls for wider changes in gaming
The announcement comes as Muscular Dystrophy UK has called upon the wider gaming industry to make their products more accessible to disabled gamers. In a report called “Changing the Game” published 17 May, the charity identified a number of key issues affecting disabled gamers and set out some recommendations for urgent action.
In response to Microsoft’s announcement,Muscular Dystrophy UK’sDirector of Campaigns, Care and Information Nic Bungay said: “Microsoft’s new Xbox Adaptive Controller is a welcome first step towards a more inclusive video gaming culture. It will make a real difference, particularly to people with a progressive muscle-wasting condition. However, our report highlights that there is still much more the industry needs to do.
“We frequently hear from young people with muscle-wasting conditions that gaming is hugely important to them, providing opportunities to socialise and compete with others at an equal level. It can help reduce social isolation, relieve stress and improve mood, but many feel excluded because of their disability.”
