Game On: Accessibility takes another step forward with PlayStation 5 Access controller

Preorders opened up for Sony’s forthcoming PlayStation 5 Access controller on July 21. Following Microsoft’s well-received Xbox Adaptive Controller released in 2018, Sony is taking a step forward for video game accessibility for PlayStation gamers with disabilities.

Retailing for $89.99, the PlayStation 5 Access controller is extremely customizable, allowing gamers to operate the controller from any direction, move buttons around, disable buttons to prevent accidental pressing and create up to 30 control profiles. It’s also possible to pair up to two Access controllers and one standard DualSense controller together to use collaboratively.

While Sony is somewhat notorious for propping up their own proprietary ports and media formats, that isn’t the case here, with the Access controller featuring four industry-standard 3.5mm expansion ports designed to work in conjunction with third-party accessibility accessories.

While it’s a bit surprising it took Sony nearly five years to create hardware similar to Microsoft’s accessible peripheral, it’s worth noting that Sony’s is $10 cheaper, is a bit more customizable and includes numerous interchangeable button options even with the base unit – the Xbox Adaptive Controller primarily acts as a hub for all of the extra buttons a person needs to buy to fit their specific needs.

Expanding accessibility in gaming has become increasingly common over the past decade, and 2018 was a particularly pivotal year – not just on the hardware front with the Xbox Adaptive Controller, but on the software end too. Indie platformer Celeste launched with an “assist mode,” which allowed the player to adjust speed, become invincible or skip levels as needed.

This was a surprising feature for a game like Celeste, whose story is focused on overcoming seemingly insurmountable obstacles. While I was drawn to the game primarily for its nail-biting action sequences, the heartwarming story is enticing too, and I’m all for anyone being able to experience it.

As with anything though, there exist detractors who insist that assist modes are detrimental – that those who use them are “missing the point” of the game or “ruining the experience” for themselves. Since no such mode exists in any competitive game I’ve ever heard of, I struggle to see this argument as anything more than gatekeeping.

Overall, Celeste’s assist mode was well-received, and the industry took notice – more and more accessibility features have been gracing video games since. There was a time when closed captions for the hard of hearing was a revelation – but now many titles are rich with features that compensate for various forms of colorblindness, remove flashing effects for those with epilepsy, as well as offer text-to-speech and in-depth difficulty adjustments.

Although I’m not personally hard of hearing, I almost always enable closed captions for any game with the option. Far too many action games seem prone to dumping exposition during loud, cacophonic scenes and I prefer not to miss any dialogue.

It warms my heart to see these options expanded and embraced – there’s no reason video gaming can’t be a fun pastime for those with disabilities. Gaming is sometimes frowned upon for being a less-active hobby, but there’s nothing wrong with relaxing from time to time. Furthermore, studies have shown gaming to improve cognition and be more mentally stimulating than simply watching television.

For that reason, I hope to see an increase in elderly gamers over the next few decades, and these accessible controllers could make that possibility all the more feasible. Cognitive decline can often be linked to insufficient quantities of mental stimulation, and most of us have borne witness to retirement communities where there’s little motivation to do more than watch TV all day.

While I don’t think gaming is the perfect solution to such a complex issue, it’d be a small improvement. When my paternal grandfather passed away at an impressive 95 years of age, he was still very mentally sound. Some of it might’ve been genetic, but I believe his unshakable curiosity and drive to try new things on his computer – including playing games – could have been a helping factor.

The PlayStation 5 Access controller will be available Dec. 6.