Sony previews new accessibility controller, Project Leonardo

5 January, 2023

a preview image of the new Project Leonardo accessibility controller for the PS5

Sony has previewed Project Leonardo, its new accessibility controller for the PS5 – check out the video below.

Per an official PlayStation blog post, the upcoming product was “designed to remove barriers to gaming and help players with disabilities play more easily, more comfortably and for longer periods” on the console.

“Accessibility is an important topic to us at PlayStation, and we want to continue raising the bar to enable every gamer to experience the joy of play,” it added.

“Whether it’s the robust accessibility options in PlayStation Studios games like Santa Monica Studio‘s God Of War Ragnarök or Naughty Dog’s The Last Of Us Part I, or the wide array of features in our PS4 and PS5 console UI, we’re passionate about reducing barriers to play for every gamer.”

The Leonardo includes button-mapping and control profiles, the latter of which will allow users to “easily switch between them”.

Featuring four 3.5mm AUX ports for extra accessories, the product can be can be used as a standalone device or paired with additional Project Leonardo or DualSense wireless controllers.

As for the Leonardo’s “flexible, adaptable design” (see the preview images above), Sony said gamers will be able 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,” the post added. “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.”

Sony is yet to confirm a launch date or price for the Project Leonardo – you can find further information and photos here.

It comes after Microsoft announced a new range of accessibility-focused accessories last May. Over the summer, Nintendo also confirmed that it was working on a cross-platform accessibility controller.

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