Already involved in the development of accessibility options with productions such as The Last of Us Part I, The Last of Us Part II or even God of War Ragnarok which serve as references in this area, PlayStation was therefore also working on equipment intended to PS5 users. Developed in partnership with accessibility specialists, including the now iconic Steven Spohn of the AbleGamers Foundation, Project Leonardo is the code name for what Vice President Hideaki Nishino describes as a “ultra-customizable and ready-to-use controller kit” intended to help players with disabilities as much as possible.
“A real toolbox”
Project Leonardo is presented as a “blank canvas“on which players will be able to weave their own gaming experience. It will be delivered with a kit of interchangeable components including a variety of caps for the analog joysticks and keys of different shapes and sizes. Enough to allow, for example, to configure the distance between the analog joystick and the gamepad. The idea is therefore that the user can create the configuration that suits him best according to his motor skills and other specific needs.
We wanted to address the challenges faced by many gamers with limited motor skills, especially the inability to hold a controller for long, accurately press buttons or triggers, or position thumbs and fingers on a controller classic.
In addition to the possibility of freely programming the function of each key (two functions can be assigned to the same key) and of saving its own command schemes in the form of profiles (three profiles can be saved on the same console), the Project Leonardo’s goal is to work in synergy with other accessibility devices and accessories. This explains the presence of four 3.5 mm ports used to integrate switches, keys or special joysticks.
Regarding multiplayer, the Project Leonardo controller can be used as a standalone controller, combined with other Project Leonardo controllers or with a DualSense controller. “For example, players can adapt a Project Leonardo controller to their DualSense controller or use two Project Leonardo controllers independently. A friend or family member can also participate by helping the player control their character using a DualSense controller or a second Project Leonardo controller. Controllers can be dynamically turned on or off and used in any combination“, explains the PlayStation-Blog.
Still in development, the Project Leonardo controller does not yet have an availability date or price.
