Gamepad for gamers with disabilities: Project Leonardo

Project Leonardo is a fairly new name for the game world… So much so that it’s been quite a while since the name was announced. Because Project Leonardo was unveiled at the recent CES 2023.

The CES 2023 event, which has been planned for a long time, has witnessed some promotions and news that will deeply affect the gaming world. Sony, the maker of the world-famous Playstation series, also held a press conference at CES 2023 where the company shared several important updates for PlayStation players. One of them was that Playstation sales were doing quite well, with over 30 million PS5s sold in 2022. The other was Project Leonardo, a new PlayStation controller currently in development. Let’s look at the details together.

The Importance of Accessibility in Game Consoles

Accessibility is an important issue for gaming consoles, and new steps have been taken to ensure that every player can enjoy gaming.

The wide range of accessibility in PlayStation games such as God of War Ragnarök and The Last of Us Part I, or the various UI features of Playstation consoles, shows that efforts in this regard, however limited, have paid off.

On the other hand, among game lovers there are also players with disabilities. The new game controller developed by Sony for the Playstation console will appeal to gamers with disabilities. Because one of the most disadvantaged groups among console gamers are gamers with disabilities, and as with all walks of life, barriers to gaming need to be removed.

No release date or pricing has been announced yet, but Sony has announced that with Project Leonardo, it aims to “remove all barriers to gaming and help gamers with disabilities play PS5 more easily, comfortably and for longer periods of time.” . Whether this goal is achieved or not, time will tell, but we can already present Project Leonardo, which was announced at CES 2023. Here is a brand new and now even more affordable game controller!

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CES 2023 event and Project Leonardo presentation

Project Leonardo is the name given by Sony to a game controller designed for gamers with disabilities and intended for the PS5, the latest generation of the world famous Playstation series of video consoles. During the company’s presentation at CES 2023, Sony Interactive Entertainment CEO Jim Ryan spoke about the possibilities of introducing a new dedicated controller for the PS5. Therefore, Sony unhindered; He hopes that all players, especially those with disabilities, can enjoy Playstation 5 games more comfortably and easily.

Advantages of the Leonardo project

It is worth noting that the game controller, introduced to PS5 users under the name Project Leonardo, offers a very wide range of personalization options. The multi-button Project Leonardo can be used both standalone and in sync with the traditional PS5 DualSense controller. While we had the opportunity to get a closer look at Project Leonardo, we also want to point out that the development process for the new PS5 controller is not yet complete and may only be seen by players soon.

Sony continues to work on development, and in the process, they will also have the opportunity to receive feedback from the PS5 user community on the design and functionality of the device. That way, they can make sure they have a product that provides access to as many PS5 games as possible for all gamers, especially those with disabilities.

In addition, Project Leonardo can expand its capabilities with a number of auxiliary ports. As Sony states in its official release, the controller should also have various external outputs and auxiliary ports to support third-party accessibility accessories. In other words, Project Leonardo can be used not only with official PS5 products, but also with some compatible devices from other contract companies.

Will it provide the same ease of use as DualSense?

Project Leonardo’s excellent customization options and accessibility make it a powerful DualSense alternative for gamers with disabilities. Sony’s CEO said during the presentation that “auxiliary ports are integrated into the device; claims that users are also looking for maximum compatibility with their private switches, buttons, or analog sticks. As a result, each of the parts of Project Leonardo is designed to be customized in a variety of ways that users desire.

You can even sync two Project Leonardo devices to work together, or connect them using DualSense, as mentioned earlier. The options are almost endless, and many of them will depend on the needs of the player. In addition, Project Leonardo’s design allows it to be placed on flat surfaces. Sony explains that for ease of use, “Project Leonardo can also be placed on a tabletop or wheelchair stand for maximum accessibility for gamers.”

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Of course, this isn’t the first time we’ve seen a controller designed for players with disabilities. Microsoft in 2018; released the Xbox Adaptive Controller, a piece of hardware that allows users to control their Xbox games with third-party controllers, offering a wider controller experience for everyone. It is also important that such steps are followed by such large companies as Sony. Hopefully we will continue to see similar moves in the coming days. Not only in the gaming world, but in all areas of life!

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