Xbox has excitedly announced the launch of its innovative Proteus Controller, a modular “snap and play” kit designed to empower gamers with disabilities. As video games become more sophisticated and interaction methods more complex, accessibility can pose a challenge. However, Xbox is stepping up with a vibrant solution that aims to enhance gaming inclusivity. This new controller offers customizable options tailored to meet the diverse needs of users, promising an enriched and more personal gaming experience for everyone.
Xbox’s gaming accessibility team thanked its fans for their ongoing support in building an inclusive global community on Global Accessibility Awareness Day, and reaffirmed their commitment to setting the benchmark for gaming accessible features. Xbox thanked all of its fans and said that it wanted to make sure that people with disabilities had a comfortable experience. It also said that it will keep implementing inclusive practices and that it will collaborate with nonprofit organizations and people with disabilities to better shape its future projects.
One such initiative was the imminent release of the Proteus Controller, according to an Xbox blog post. The Proteus Controller, a highly customizable gaming controller with “snap and play” components that are easily joined and removed to create the ideal modular interface for gamers with impairments, was developed in partnership with accessibility peripheral maker ByoWave.
Right out of the box, users of PCs and Microsoft’s Xbox devices can use the Proteus Controller without having to go through the trouble of searching for the right driver online and installing it on their preferred system. ByoWave’s official website is now accepting preorders for the Proteus Controller, which costs $299. The first batch of units is anticipated to ship in the fall of 2024.
Xbox also declared that it would be implementing more updates to enhance community resource access and accessibility. This involves reorganizing the Xbox support articles into speech, cognitive, visual, mobility, and hearing categories according to the particular kind of impairment. Updates for users of Xbox’s Xbox Adaptive Controller and other accessibility devices will also be released.
As video games have become ubiquitous in our culture, it’s easy to overlook the challenges differently-abled users face in accessing and enjoying them. However, it is encouraging to see many in the gaming community advocating for improved accessibility features. This not only enables more people to experience the medium, but also reflects the passion and inclusivity that defines the gaming community.
