The new controller for the PS5 is designed to be more comfortable for people with disabilities.

The kit was revealed during the biggest tech conference in the world. Able Gamers, Stack Up, and SpecialEffect were involved in the creation of the split controller design.

Two Sony PlayStation accessible controllers and one Sony PlayStation controller.

Credit: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.

The controller was built to address common challenges faced by many players with limited motor control, such as difficulty holding a controller for long periods, accurately pressing small clusters of buttons or triggering, or positioning thumbs and fingers on a standard controller.

The only first-party game controllers that have been accessible since the launch of the xbox adaptive controller are from microsoft

"Our team tested over a dozen designs with accessibility experts, looking for approaches that would help address key challenges to effective controller use," said So Morimoto in a statement. Project Leonardo can be tailored to the needs of players. They want to be able to make their own configurations.

A Sony PlayStation accessible controller from overheard, seen in parts.

Credit: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.

The controller kit has components that can be swapped to create a wide variety of control layouts. Multiple buttons can be mapped to do the same thing, and there's a range of different buttons which can be programmed to any supported function. You can adjust the distance between the left and right sticks and the orientation of the "North" point.

Project Leonardo has a couple of ways to use the controller. You don't necessarily have to hold the controller for it to be fixed on a tripod. The PS5 allows players to store up to three control profiles, so you can switch between them. The controller can be used alone or with another project Leonardo controller or dualsense wireless controller, meaning players can combine multiple devices if they need to. Many other accessibility accessories work with the controller.

A side view of the ports of a Sony PlayStation accessible controller.

Credit: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.

Barriers to gaming are slowly being removed, as well as in general tech and at the Consumer Electronics Show. Following features in the PS4 and PS5 consoles, Project Leonardo is the latest project focused on accessibility for the PS.