Xbox Announces Accessible Controllers, Packaging, More

In conjunction with this week’s Gamescom conference, Microsoft-owned Xbox on Wednesday announced a slew of notable updates in hardware and software. The news has pertinence to accessibility, of course.

Hardware-wise, Xbox announced new console options for both Series S and Series X. Both are available for pre-order beginning today, with release scheduled for October 15 and in “select countries” two weeks later on the 29th. The Series S in “Robot White” with 1TB storage is priced at $350, while the higher-end Series X Galaxy Black Special Edition with 2TB storage costs $600. The latter model comes with a “unique design” as well as an included “matching Xbox Wireless controller with a Galaxy Black D-pad and Velocity Green back case.”

The consoles were announced in June at the Xbox Games Showcase.

In terms of accessibility for gamers, Xbox announced four new offerings that it detailed in a blog post. In prefacing the news, Xbox wrote the steadfast focus on accessibility is part of its unwavering commitment to “empowering everyone to play the games they want, with the people they want, anywhere they want, in a way that works for them” while adding this is yet another step in its mission to “[make] gaming accessible for the more than 425 million players with disabilities worldwide.”

Top billing in Xbox’s post goes to the Xbox Adaptive Joystick. The company describes the device as a “companion” to Xbox controllers and specifically design for people with limited mobility. The accessory features several buttons, all of which are customizable, with Xbox touting this versatility as “[allowing] players to seamlessly incorporate the controller into existing gaming setups—it can be controlled with one hand, mounted via tabletops, or used with non-hand body parts.” Xbox said the Adaptive Joystick will launch early next year and will be priced at $30. It will exclusively be available through the Microsoft store in “select markets” worldwide when it arrives to customers next spring.

Xbox has a video on the Adaptive Joystick on its YouTube channel.

Speaking of joysticks and controllers, Xbox also announced the advent of “complimentary 3D-printable files for adaptive thumbstick toppers” using the Xbox Design Lab. Xbox said the initiative enables users to choose from 6 thumbstick toppers—plate, dome, stick, pull, sphere, and custom—for printing, all of which can be configured with varying heights and widths depending on one’s physical motor needs and tolerances.

Elsewhere, Xbox has collaborated with partner company 8BitDo to create the $60 Lite SE 2.4G Wireless Controller. Like the aforementioned Adaptive Joystick, the Lite SE was developed with gamers who have limited mobility in mind. According to Xbox, the new peripheral features “low-resistance buttons and highly sensitive Hall Effect joysticks” that makes it easier for everyone to play their games. The Lite SE even has a non-slip silicone mat underneath to keep it steady. The Lite SE is compatible with Xbox Series S and X, Xbox One, or Windows 10 and above, and can be used with or without a wire.

In one more bit of controller news, the ByoWave Proteus Controller Xbox announced during Global Accessibility Awareness Day is now available. The $300 accessory, which Xbox boasts has “over 100 million different combinations” of programmable options, is available in Canada, Europe, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

But hardware isn’t limited to things that light up and make noise; it extends to packaging too. In that spirit, Xbox announced all-new accessible packaging for Xbox consoles and the Adaptive Joystick. The accessible designs were engineered using feedback from the disability community, with Xbox noting packaging features elements such as a hinged box lid, large loops, and mercifully, no twist ties for any cables.

Amidst all the hardware, there is but one software-oriented announcement of mention. Xbox has introduced a new Toggle Hold feature it says is designed to “help make using a controller even easier and supports players who have difficulty holding prolonged button presses.” Xbox said the functionality is analogous to Sticky Keys on a computer; Toggle Hold means users are able to “assign any button or port on the Xbox Adaptive Controller, Xbox Adaptive Joystick, or Xbox Elite Series 2 controller to stay pressed until pressing again to release.”