Across the pond, big things are happening in the name of gaming accessibility. This year at Gamescom in Cologne, Germany, the renowned Xbox Adaptive Controller will make an appearance on the show floor! In the Indie Arena Booth, the newly featured “Accessibility Arena”, which is an offset of the main booth that features a more open floor plan for wheelchairs and height-adjusted tables.
The controller is designed primarily to meet the needs of those with limited mobility. It will even work with a range of devices, so players can connect external devices like switches, buttons, mounts and even joysticks to create custom controllers experience!
The Ablegamers charity, Cerebral Palsy foundation, SpecialEffect, Warfighter Engaged, and many others in the community helped to make this adaptive controller possible. Input helped shape the design, functionality, and packaging of the Xbox Adaptive Controller.
Schedule:
If you are attending the event, here is a schedule:
⦁ Tuesday, August 20 – 9:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. CEST (press/trade only day)
⦁ Wednesday, August 21 – 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. CEST
⦁ Thursday, August 22 – 9:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. CEST
⦁ Friday, August 23 – 9:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. CEST
⦁ Saturday, August 24 – 9:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. CEST
Future of Gaming
These types of accessible controllers will not only shape the future of gaming as a whole, but also lift gaming to a new level for those with disabilities. This is a big move for charities such as AbleGamers — with such a widely-accessible piece of hardware available to disabled gamers, the charity is able to focus on special cases and gamers who need heavily modified equipment.
If you’re attending, be sure to stop by the Indie Arena booth to check out the Xbox Adaptive Controller living its best life!