Xbox announce new accessibility controllers

If there is one thing we’re “banging on about” here at Phenixx Gaming it is accessibility. Be it options in-game or controllers outside of that to allow certain people the with more physical disabilities the chance to play. In fact, it was several months ago Alexx reviewed the PlayStation controller option when it comes to accessibility and how they do provide some assistance, but could still be much better. For all that’s worth as someone who isn’t disabled and requires these aids to enjoy games, Microsoft and Xbox seem to be doing a lot more in that regard.

Announced/revealed yesterday, the realm of gaming accessibility for Xbox is growing with a further four “new accessibility offerings” as the press release on the Xbox Wire notes. It goes on to say, “At Xbox, we are committed to empowering everyone to play the games they want, with the people they want, anywhere they want, in a way that works for them. This includes our mission of making gaming accessible for the more than 425 million players with disabilities worldwide.”

The four options notes are the Xbox Adaptive Joystick, 8BitDo Lite 2.4G Wireless Controller, and the ByoWave Proteus Controller, as well as 3D printable files for adaptive thumbsticks, similar to the beautiful and my beloved Xbox Elite controller. I love that thing. However, there is a catch with these accessibility options. The Xbox Adaptive Joystick will be released in early 2025 and for $29.99. That seems like a nice, fine fair price.

The 8BitDo Lite 2.4G Wireless Controller is a little more expensive but also about what I’d expect to see a controller at in a brick-and-mortar store. It is retailing for $59.99 roughly.

The more space-age controller that I think looks mad and brilliant at the same time, the ByoWave Proteus Controller, is a lot more expensive. More than triple the previous two, the ByoWave Proteus Controller is set to release in the US, Europe, the UK, and Canada, for a price of roughly $299. Sure it is very adaptive and supposedly well-designed, but on top of the price for the console itself, it is (presumably) pricing out a lot of disabled players at the same time. While Xbox is being accessible, there are still things keeping the whole gaming space restrictive, to a degree.

Have thoughts on the new accessibility controllers for Xbox? Tell us down below!