PlayStation has revealed a brand new accessibility controller kit in development for PlayStation 5, and its codename is Project Leonardo.
Revealed on stage at CES 2023, and later detailed in the PlayStation Blog, Project Leonardo is designed to, “remove barriers to gaming and help players with disabilities play more easily, more comfortably, and for longer periods on PS5.”
Sony revealed Project Leonardo in a trailer, which you can watch below.
Sony said the new controller was developed with contributions from accessibility experts, community members, and game developers. Project Leonardo includes a kit of swappable components, including a variety of analog stick caps and buttons in different shapes and sizes.
On PS5, players will be able to customize their game experience with button mapping, where the controller’s buttons can be mapped to any supported function on the controller. And, players can map two functions onto the same button. The PS5 will also include up to three control profiles, where players can store their preferred settings and easily switch between them.
Project Leonardo can be used on its own, or paired with an additional Project Leonardo or DualSense controller. It’s also designed to be compatible with external, third-party devices via its four 3.5mm AUX ports.
You can take a look at the new controller kit in the photos below.
Introducing Project Leonardo for PS5, a highly customizable accessibility controller kit designed to help players with disabilities play more easily, more comfortably, and for longer periods.
More info: https://t.co/qqCfpnPJr6 pic.twitter.com/IM0iulP0Fk
— PlayStation (@PlayStation) January 5, 2023
PlayStation said Project Leonardo is still in active development, and the company is continuing to gather valuable feedback from the community.
PlayStation’s first-party titles have been making a stronger push for more accessibility features on PlayStation 5. God of War: Ragnarok launched with over 70 accessibility features, and The Last of Us Part 1 remake made strides to help deaf gamers. With Project Leonardo, PlayStation will have its own accessibility controller kit, just as Xbox released its own Adaptive Controller to advance gaming accessibility on its platforms.
Logan Plant is a freelance writer for IGN covering video game and entertainment news. He has over six years of experience in the gaming industry with bylines at IGN, Nintendo Wire, Switch Player Magazine, and Lifewire. Find him on Twitter @LoganJPlant.