Microsoft Announces Xbox Adaptive Controller For Players With Disabilities (theverge.com)

A new Xbox controller designed for people with disabilities has been announced by Microsoft today. The Xbox Adaptive Controller features two large programmable buttons and 19 jacks that can be connected to a range of joysticks, buttons, and switches to make it easier for a wider range of people to play games on Xbox One and Windows 10 PCs. The Verge reports: "I can customize how I interface with the Xbox Adaptive Controller to whatever I want," says Solomon Romney, a Microsoft Store learning specialist who was born without fingers on his left hand. "If I want to play a game entirely with my feet, I can. I can make the controls fit my body, my desires, and I can change them anytime I want. You plug in whatever you want and go. It takes virtually no time to set it up and use it. It could not be simpler."

The focus is on connectivity and customizability, with players able to build a setup that works for their capabilities and needs. It won't be an all-in-one solution for many games, but through the use of peripherals and the Xbox's system-level button remapping, the possibilities could be endless. The Xbox Adaptive Controller will cost $99.99 and goes on sale later this year.

Comments

Re:law of unintented consequences

[PopeRatzo]

I can guarantee that able-bodied individuals will find a way to get a competitive advantage by using this

I used to think covering my eyes would make me play harmonica and sing as well as Stevie Wonder. It didn't work out that way, and I doubt using this adaptive controller will work that way either.

Ben Heck has been doing this for some time

[BenJeremy]

I'm surprised Ben Heck wasn't involved in this project. I honestly don't know if this was an oversight, if Microsoft reached out to him and a deal fell through, or they decided to leave him out of the effort... but he's been doing this sort of thing for ages.

programmable controller

[DrYak]

Pardon me if I'm wrong.

But aren't the things which are banned from esports *macro programmable* ? As in, you program a whole complete sequence of button press commands (preferrably a complex or difficult one) to a single physical trigger ?
(e.g.: whenever I push button W5, please replay the complete Konami code, followed by that difficult special move from Zangieff on Street Fighter II)

This thing is "simply" a *remapable* controller :
"left foot pedal" = "button B" (because the disabled player is hemiplegic and lacks control on the right side of the body, and thus can't push buttons with the right thumb and thus could get past the first pit in a Mario platformer).