PS5 and DualSense Accessibility Features Finally Detailed by Sony

Ben Bayliss2 minute read

By now, you’re probably no stranger to the major concerns disabled players have had over the PS5 console and its DualSense controller. For months no information has been revealed about the accessibility settings, and to add to that we were told that PS5 games require the DualSense controller due to the features that come with the controller. Now, Sony has revealed a bunch of information about the accessibility features.

The blog post reads, “at SIE [Sony Interactive Entertainment] we have a passion to work towards improving accessibility within our products and services and within our company.” It details the existing PS4 accessibility features that are available on the hardware itself: text-to-speech, inverted colors, and custom button assignements are listed.

As for the PS5 features, it’s detailed that the next-generation PlayStation will include:

  • Voice dictation to allow players to speak and have their words transcribed.
  • A Screen Reader that reads on-screen text is available for blind and low vision users.
  • Text-to-speech will be available for Deaf/Hard of Hearing users.
  • Button Assignments will continue to be present on the system.
  • Closed Captions are also still on the console.
  • Color Correction is also introduced to the PS5 so users can adjust colors with supported games allowing presets.

What’s more, the DualSense controller has now been confirmed to allow the user to reduce or disable the force of both the haptic feedback and adaptive triggers. In addition to these, a UX demo showcased some handy features players can expect to make use of when playing games.

Sony Interactive Entertainment also reveals that it has launched ABLE@PlayStation for employees in 2020. This is an “accessibility and all abled inclusion-focused employee network” that will be present across all of Sony Interactive Entertainment and has two principles. The first, “provide a community where people can be their whole selves” and the second, “ensuring accessibility and disability inclusion for employees and our community.”

ABLE@PlayStation will also include “emotional health awareness, supporting the fight against chronic illnesses, and helps us reach our goal to constantly focus and improve accessibility and disability inclusion in our products and for our employees.”

It’s great to finally see this information come to light, allowing players to really get an idea of what to expect from the upcoming PS5 that’s due to launch on November 12 in the US. CIPT will be sure to give you more details on these options when we can talk about them, so stay tuned for our thoughts.

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Ben
BaylissEditor-in-ChiefHe/Him

Ben is the one in charge of keeping the content cogs at Can I Play That? turning. Deafness means that he has a focus on discussing captions, but with experience in consultancy and advocacy, he covers what bases he can. Having written about accessibility in video games at DualShockers, GamesRadar+, GamesIndustry.biz, Wireframe, and more he continues his advocacy at CIPT. He was actually awarded a Good Games Writing award for an article he wrote here! He enjoys a range of games, but anything that’s open-world and with a photo mode will probably be his cup of tea. You can get in touch with him at: ben@caniplaythat.com

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