Sony's PlayStation 5 Access Controller makes PlayStation 5 games more accessible for gamers who might have difficulty using traditional console controllers. This gamepad offers a customizable ring of eight mappable buttons and an adjustable joystick that feels great to use, complementing the PS5's built-in accessibility features.
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TechTranscript
00:00 We're here at Sony Interactive Entertainment headquarters here in San Mateo to check out the new Access Controller for PS5.
00:07 A customizable controller that promises to make games a lot more accessible to a wider variety of people.
00:12 Let's go take a look.
00:14 Now, Sony's making a big show of pointing out that the accessibility of this controller starts with the packaging.
00:22 It's designed to be opened with just one hand.
00:25 Pretty doable.
00:26 And then all the extra buttons are here.
00:28 As you can see, you get the Access Controller with the stick attached.
00:32 You also get 19 interchangeable button caps here.
00:35 Three different interchangeable stick caps.
00:38 There's one with the big arcade stick, for example, as well as the flat ones here.
00:42 And you also get 23 interchangeable little labels that go on top here.
00:46 So that you can really customize this kit and more importantly, label where you've put what.
00:51 So that you look down and know what you're doing.
00:54 The Access Controller is designed to be easy to set up, so when you plug it in right out of the box, you should be greeted with a configuration menu.
01:00 It allows you to set up your profiles and get right into it.
01:03 So what's potentially really exciting about the Access Controller is that it has a lot of customizability built into it.
01:12 So not only can you obviously adjust the distance to a certain extent that the controller is at, the one stick that you get.
01:19 And there are also additionally, there are four customizable inputs here that you can use to add additional accessibility controllers.
01:29 You can actually assign different functions to each of the buttons using a customizable profile system that you access by holding the button here.
01:38 And you can go into this menu and there's three separate profiles you can create, up to three.
01:43 And you can sell ones for different users or different games.
01:46 And each one allows you to customize each of what I believe are about eight buttons here on the circle.
01:52 And then a ninth button in the center, as well as the one stick that you get.
01:56 Not only can you change the assignment of different buttons, but you can also go in and customize things like the orientation of the stick.
02:03 Or you can actually toggle on different settings for buttons, like having them be toggleable instead of needing to hold them.
02:10 So for example, you could have a button where it just holds down the X button once you hit the button.
02:15 So you don't have to go through the stress of holding it yourself.
02:18 You can also change the actual sensitivity of the stick and the dead zones.
02:22 And you can set up even more advanced customizations like being able to press a button and have it press two buttons at once, which can be a big help for some folks.
02:30 I have a special profile on the controller just for playing Gran Turismo 7 with just one Sony PlayStation 5 access controller.
02:42 [Music]
02:46 Hmm.
02:50 I'm honest, I got it.
02:54 As promising and accessible as this controller seems to be, Sony is quick to caution that it's not a perfect solution.
03:01 It's not going to work for everyone.
03:03 And it does take some time to get used to new controller configurations, even if it is something that can work for you.
03:09 Perhaps as much as a week or two. It's certainly taking more time than I'd like to admit getting the grips with it here.
03:14 So Sony points out that everyone takes a different amount of help and a different amount of customizability, so your mileage may vary.
03:21 The access controller will be available starting December 6th for $89.99.
03:25 For more coverage, check out tomsguide.com.
03:28 You can also follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
03:31 For Tom's Guide, I'm Alex Suaro.
03:33 [Music]
03:36 (upbeat music)
03:38 [BLANK_AUDIO]