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WATCH: Sony reveals new controller for PlayStation 5 called Project Leonardo
Sony said Project Leonardo was built to address challenges faced by players with limited motor control or difficulty holding a controller
The new controller does not have a release date or price. Photo: Sony Interactive Entertainment
Tech giant Sony has revealed a brand-new controller for its PlayStation 5 called Project Leonardo that aims to bring improved accessibility to players on PlayStation.
The controller, which was announced at the Consumer Electronic Show (CES) on Wednesday and can be paired with an existing DualSense controller or used on its own, is currently in development.
However, it does not have a release date or price.
Making gaming easier
Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) senior vice president Hideaki Nishino on the PlayStation Blog said Project Leonardo was built to make gaming easier for gamers.
“It was built to address common challenges faced by many players with limited motor control, including difficulty holding a controller for long periods, accurately pressing small clusters of buttons or triggers, or positioning thumbs and fingers optimally on a standard controller.”
Flexible, adaptable design
Nishino said Project Leonardo’s split, symmetric design allows players to reposition the analog sticks as close together or as far apart as they like,
“The controller lies flat and does not need to be held, so players can lay it on a tabletop or a wheelchair tray. It can be easily secured to AMPS mounts or tripods, and can be oriented 360 degrees for the most comfortable use.”
“Players can also program the “north” orientation on the analog sticks to match their preferred controller orientation,” he said.
Accessibility
He said players can also use these components to craft a wide array of control layouts.
“The controller includes “a robust kit of swappable components, including a variety of analog stick caps and buttons in different shapes and sizes,” Nishino said.
Nishino added that the controllers also work collaboratively with other devices and accessibility accessories.
“Project Leonardo can be used as a standalone controller or paired with additional Project Leonardo or DualSense wireless controllers.”
“Up to two Project Leonardo controllers and one DualSense wireless controller can be used together as a single virtual controller, allowing players to mix and match devices to fit their particular gameplay needs, or to play collaboratively with others,” he said.
Adaptive
Nishino said Project Leonardo is expandable through four 3.5mm AUX ports to support a variety of external switches and third-party accessibility accessories.
This he said enables users to integrate specialty switches, buttons or analog sticks with the Project Leonardo controller.
Sony’s new controller also helps the PlayStation maker catch up to efforts that Microsoft brought to Xbox and Windows PC in 2018, with the release of the Adaptive Controller.
That hardware, which costs $99.99, is compatible with a variety of add-ons and peripherals.
A video introducing the project featured members from PlayStation Studios, explaining more about the controller.
