PlayStation reveals new features and UI for its PS5 Access Controller

By Giovanni Colantonio May 18, 2023

Sony's Project Leonardo controller sits on a table. — Sony

Sony revealed new details about its PlayStation 5 accessibility controller, which has been renamed from Project Leonardo to the Access Controller. A new blog post details what comes with the controller and offers a glimpse at the UI interface that players will use to customize it on the PS5.

Sony surprise revealed its “Project Leonardo” at CES earlier this year (Digital Trends named it the best gaming tech of the show). The circular pad features a unique design meant to make it easier for people with disabilities to customize controls to their needs. While it still doesn’t have a price or release date, Sony has opened a new website for its newly renamed Access Controller and shared new details on it.

It’ll ship with three different analog stick cap shapes and four button cap shapes (pillow, flat, wide, and overhang). It’ll also come with swappable markers so players can keep track of what they have mapped to each button. It’ll feature four 3.5 AUX ports as well, which players can use to connect their own specialty devices to the Access Controller.

UI for PS5's Access Controller shows how to remap buttons. — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Sony also shared a first glimpse at the PS5 UI that players will use to customize the controller. Screenshots show a menu that allows players to orient the controller a full 360 degrees, create different profiles, remap each button, adjust stick dead zones, and more. Players will also have the option to set toggle mode, which will hold a button down when pressed so players don’t have to (they can just click a button once in a racing game to toggle acceleration on, for instance).

The PS5 Access Controller doesn’t have a price of release window, but head over to its website to register for updates.

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Giovanni Colantonio

Section Editor, Gaming

Giovanni is a writer and video producer focusing on happenings in the video game industry. He has contributed stories to…

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