PlayStation 5 Access Controller Review
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
00:00We're here at Sony Interactive Entertainment headquarters here in San Mateo to check out the new Access Controller for PS5.
00:07A customizable controller that promises to make games a lot more accessible to a wider variety of people.
00:12Let's go take a look.
00:16Now, Sony's making a big show of pointing out that the accessibility of this controller starts with the packaging.
00:22It's designed to be opened with just one hand.
00:25Pretty doable.
00:26And then all the extra buttons are here.
00:28As you can see, you get the Access Controller with the stick attached.
00:32You also get 19 interchangeable button caps here.
00:35Three different interchangeable stick caps.
00:38There's one with the big arcade stick, for example.
00:40As well as the flat ones here.
00:42And you also get 23 interchangeable little labels that go on top here.
00:46So that you can really customize this kit.
00:48And more importantly, label where you've put what.
00:51So that you look down and know what you're doing.
00:54The Access Controller is designed to be easy to set up.
00:56So when you plug it in right out of the box, you should be greeted with a configuration menu.
01:00And it allows you to set up your profiles and get right into it.
01:06So what's potentially really exciting about the Access Controller is that it has a lot of customizability built into it.
01:12So not only can you obviously adjust the, you know, distance to a certain extent with the controller.
01:17Is that, you know, the one stick that you get.
01:19And there are also additionally, there are four customizable inputs here.
01:25That you can use to add additional accessibility controllers.
01:29You can actually, you know, assign different functions to each of the buttons.
01:32Using a customizable profile system.
01:35That you access by holding the button here.
01:38And you can go into this menu and there's three separate profiles.
01:41You can create, you know, up to three.
01:43And you can sell ones for different users or different games.
01:46And each one allows you to customize each of what I believe are about eight buttons here on the circle.
01:52And then a ninth button in the center.
01:54As well as, you know, the one stick that you get.
01:56Not only can you change the assignment of different buttons.
01:59But you can also go in and customize things like the orientation of the stick.
02:03Where you can actually toggle on different settings for buttons.
02:07Like having them be toggleable instead of needing to hold them.
02:10So for example, you can have a button where it just holds down the X button once you hit the button.
02:15So you don't have to go through the stress of holding it yourself.
02:18You can also change the actual sensitivity of the stick and the dead zones.
02:22And you can set up even more advanced customizations.
02:25Like being able to press a button and have it press two buttons at once.
02:28Which can be a big help for some folks.
02:33I have a special profile on the controller just for playing Gran Turismo 7 with just one.
02:39Sony PlayStation 5 Access Controller.
02:49Hmm.
02:52How long has this thing got?
02:55As promising and accessible as this controller seems to be.
02:58Sony is quick to caution that it's not a perfect solution.
03:01It's not going to work for everyone.
03:03And it does take some time to get used to new controller configurations.
03:07Even if it is something that can work for you.
03:09Perhaps as much as a week or two.
03:11It's certainly taking more time than I'd like to admit getting the grips with it here.
03:14So Sony points out that everyone takes a different amount of help.
03:18And a different amount of customizability.
03:20So your mileage may vary.
03:22The Access Controller will be available starting December 6th for $89.99.
03:26For more coverage, check out tomsguide.com.
03:28You can also follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
03:31For Tom's Guide, I'm Alex Suaro.
03:37Tom's Guide to Access Control