Xbox continues to impress with its accessibility accommodations for gamers with disabilities. Along with some updates to the Xbox console line, Microsoft Uncovered Several new controllers were released on Wednesday to help more people experience the joy of frictionless gaming.
The Xbox Adaptive Joystick fills what Microsoft called a “widespread need for a singular, affordable joystick” to use with other Xbox controllers. Designed for people with limited mobility, it has four customizable buttons on the face, a standard thumbstick, and two mappable trigger and bumper buttons.
You can connect the wired joystick to either the Xbox Adaptive Controller or your console. You can also pair it with a standard Xbox gamepad using Xbox Controller Assist (either solo or in local co-op). The Xbox Adaptive Joystick also has a quarter-inch thread for mounting, increasing its versatility.
The joystick will cost just $30 when it arrives in early 2025.
Microsoft is also releasing 3D printable files for custom thumbstick toppers, designed for those who have trouble gripping standard Xbox thumbsticks. You can print adapters in the form of a plate, dome, narrow thumbstick, pull (a deep, bowl-shaped surface), sphere, and a custom base for adding materials like clay or moldable plastic.
Of course, you'll need to have a 3D printer, use a friend's, or find a professional service to print them. Printable files are Free from Xbox Design Lab.
In collaboration with 8BitDo, the Lite SE 2.4G Wireless Controller is a gamepad with all the inputs on its top surface. It has low-resistance buttons and “high-sensitivity” Hall-effect joysticks. It even includes a non-slip silicone mat to keep things stable. As an added bonus, it includes 8BitDo’s coveted Super Buttons, included for the first time with the Nintendo-inspired mechanical keyboard.
The 8BitDo Lite SE 2.4G is available starting today for $60.
Finally, the ByoWave Proteus remote, introduced earlier this year for World Accessibility Awareness Day, is now available to order. This innovative modular remote features snap-and-play parts that offer over 100 million combinations to suit your needs. The Proteus is available for $299 in the US, EU, UK and Canada.
