Revolutionary Customization and Accessibility: PlayStation's Project Leonardo

The Sony PS5 gamepad is a crucial element in a player's gaming experience; however, it may not be suitable for everyone. For some gamers, medical conditions make it challenging to hold a standard DualSense gamepad, leading them to either miss out on gaming or purchase a more expensive third-party controller. To ensure that every gamer can enjoy PlayStation titles, the company announced Project Leonardo at CES 2023, a controller kit designed with accessibility in mind.

PlayStation has been making significant efforts to improve console and gaming accessibility, as seen in the various accessibility features present in its menu. For instance, the PS5 has a screen reader for individuals who have trouble seeing the menu and text-to-screen transcriptions of voice chat for those who have difficulty hearing. God of War Ragnarok, one of its flagship titles, offers motor, motion, vision, and hearing accessibility presets. Through Project Leonardo, PlayStation intends to expand its motor accessibility by providing a controller with directional pads and buttons that are more comfortable to grip, control, and press.

What Makes PlayStation’s Project Leonardo Accessible

The Access controller, also known as Project Leonardo, boasts a circular design with large buttons and a directional joystick attached. This unique layout, developed in collaboration with accessibility partners, offers a comfortable alternative to holding a traditional controller for extended periods. Players can place the controller on a table, their lap, or a tripod and use the large buttons and joystick to play, similar to an arcade stick.

What's more, Project Leonardo allows for easy customization of buttons and directional inputs. Players can choose from a variety of analog stick caps, including standard, ball, or dome, as well as different button caps such as flat, pillow, wide flat, overhang, and curved. The wide flat cap covers two sockets, making it ideal for marking the most important button for a particular game, such as the trigger for a PlayStation FPS. Meanwhile, the overhang cap is perfect for players with smaller hands, as it is easier to access from the center of the controller. Additionally, tags are swappable, giving players the ability to fully customize and map out their button layout.

PlayStation’s Project Leonardo Has Extensive Customization Features

Players can take customization to the next level with Project Leonardo's advanced features. In addition to swappable analog sticks and buttons, players can adjust the placement of directional controls to their liking. With four 3.5 mm AUX ports, players have the option to integrate third-party controllers with accessibility features seamlessly.

But the customization doesn't stop there. The UI settings can be personalized to cater to individual needs. The button mapping feature allows players to choose their preferred controller orientation and even assign two different inputs to the same button. Different control profiles can be created for swapping between game genres, and players can adjust button behavior to work like a toggle for motor-intensive driving games. Fine motor control can also be honed with custom sensitivity settings for the analog stick.

Players can now connect up to two Project Leonardo controllers and one DualSense controller to create a virtual controller. This allows for a customizable and collaborative gaming experience, where players can mix and match their preferred controllers. In addition, PlayStation is actively collaborating with accessibility groups and game developers to ensure that the gaming experience on the PS5 and beyond is inclusive for all players. Project Leonardo is currently in development and promises to enhance the gaming experience for PlayStation users.