Microsoft demonstrated its leadership in accessible gaming hardware again on Wednesday with the announcement of a new one-handed joystick controller for Xbox and PC. The Xbox Adaptive Joystick works with the company’s already robust accessibility hardware stack, and even includes support for custom 3D-printed parts.
The Adaptive series of devices and controllers has been around for years, and Microsoft has consistently worked with the accessibility community to find out what’s needed and updated accordingly. In this case, it’s a straightforward one-handed “nunchuk,” as they were once called, though this one-handed form factor is now more common in VR setups. As the company puts it:
“Through years of research, testing and collaboration with players with disabilities, and accessibility experts, we designed the Xbox Adaptive Joystick as a wired companion to Xbox controllers, specifically for players with limited mobility.
“The Xbox Adaptive Joystick’s versatility allows 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.”
There are other one-handed joysticks out there, but having something that works well out of the box with other gaming accessibility tools is very helpful, and the price is right at $30. You don’t get wireless connectivity, sadly, but most accessible setups rely on wired devices anyway.
One cool feature is the ability to use 3D-printed joystick “toppers” — normally a rubber or silicone disc, but not everyone can use those. Why not something taller, or wider, or thinner, or with little holes in it so you can attach a string or wire? The company rolled out a set of free, 3D-printable toppers in a range of shapes that anyone can swap in.
Great, right? You can see that big one in use up top — way better for catching chin or limb movements.
Microsoft also partners with other hardware makers, and showed off the cool Proteus controller that’s been kicking around for a couple years but just recently got the VIP Xbox treatment. And there’s the 8BitDo Lite SE, specifically designed for the accessibility market, which puts all the Xbox controller buttons right on the front like an old-school arcade stick (there’s one for Switch too). I’m tempted to get one myself to give my trigger-button fingers a rest.
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Lastly, and a testament to the thoroughness that the Microsoft accessibility team has come to exemplify, the new joystick and indeed the latest versions of the Xbox Series X and S themselves all have packaging that forgoes the usual fiddly twist ties and things, making it easy for anyone with limited mobility or reach to open them up.
