'Xbox Adaptive Joystick' is a controller accessory that is packed with Xbox accessibility considerations. Try the actual machine in Germany [gamescom]

The new product "Xbox Adaptive Joystick" announced by Microsoft on August 21, 2024 (overseas time) is a joystick designed to meet the needs of gamers with limited physical movement.

This product is a wired accessory made for the Xbox controller and Xbox Adaptive Controller, and is designed with various play environments in mind, such as an easy-to-handle shape and weight, and button remapping for the Xbox accessory app. It is characterized by high customizability.

I attended a presentation about this new product held on August 22nd at the Microsoft business booth at Gamescom 2024, which is being held in Germany, and asked about the development history and characteristics of the accessory.

The presentation was given by Kaitlyn Jones, Xbox's Senior Accessibility Product Manager, and Chris Kujawski, Principal Designer of the Industrial Design Team.

The birth of the "Xbox Adaptive Joystick" was due to feedback on the Xbox Adaptive Controller, which was released in 2018 (released in Japan in 2020).

Xbox has been gathering the thoughts, opinions, and first-hand impressions of as many people as possible, and has learned that many users of the product are looking for an affordable joystick that can be used with a controller. Start a new project. Furthermore, as he interacted with numerous groups and player communities, he realized that this initiative was an excellent one. Since then, we have continued research and testing over many years with the cooperation of accessibility experts, related organizations, and hospitals that have adopted the device. After having game players with physical disabilities experience the prototype, we adjusted the overall design and button placement based on their feedback.As a result, we developed a shape that is easy to use with either the left or right hand, thumbsticks, four buttons, bumpers, and triggers. It has a two-button configuration for control.

The ideas for these designs and customization options were born out of a hackathon held within the product's design team, which served as a good starting point for later developments.




A feature of this product is that there is a screw hole for the joint at the bottom of the main body. This allows it to be fixed to an arm set on a desk or chair, or to a tripod, and allows you to operate the game without having to hold the joystick at all times during the game. He also said that one of the main reasons for using wired accessories was that it eliminated the need for parts that affected weight, such as batteries and Bluetooth adapters. In addition, the thumbstick topper can be customized to the desired shape using 3D printing. There are six types of toppers that can be designed in Xbox Design Lab, with adjustable shapes, widths, and heights. You can design your own and create 3D print files for free. This allows players to create sticks that are sized and shaped to be easily moved by their elbows, feet, and chins, and in a form that is easy for players to use.
It has been said that organizations and hospitals with technology have been working on accessibility and promoting it for some time, but the important theme of this product is to make it usable by anyone, regardless of their knowledge or experience with 3D technology.
“Choice and flexibility”
.

The development team basically introduces the product but does not explain how to use it. What we're actually doing is "emphasizing the voices of existing users," so that new users with similar needs can learn from their posts, explore settings on their own, and deepen their understanding of adaptive technology. It is said that there is

Choice and flexibility are important concepts when it comes to using the Xbox Adaptive Joystick itself.

This product promotes not only helping those who need support, but also increasing user creativity.





At the presentation, I was able to experience the game using the actual device, and the feeling of holding it and operating it was a bit similar to the nostalgic Wii nunchuck. Because it is lightweight, it is easy to handle with either the left or right hand, and if you set it on the arm of a desk or chair, it will look like a car shift lever and will fit perfectly. On top of that, there is the fun of thinking about how to use the usage yourself, rather than just being given one. I was able to see for myself that this is a product that emphasizes choice and flexibility and enhances user creativity.

This product is scheduled to be released in early 2025 for $29.99.

The photo is from the Xbox booth at gamescom 2024

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