Xbox, in collaboration with partner Byowave, has radically upgraded the accessibility of its consoles with the Proteus controller for disabled gamers. The controller is a modular adaptive kit that provides disabled gamers the ability to build a controller in a way that works for them.
Whatever you can say about Microsoft as a company, Xbox has been leading the way in gaming accessibility for some time now. Xbox was first to market with a controller specifically aimed at customizable inputs for disabled gamers. The Proteus Controller levels up that concept by allowing for customization options that should make it viable for almost anyone.
The game controller kit features an interesting array of “snap and play” parts that can easily be manipulated into various forms. Byowave remarked that its kit can be used to build over 100 million traditional and custom configurations and variations right out of the box.
Peripherals snap and lock into place on the face of the body modules. The modules can be connected at 8 different angles, which further multiplies the customization options on offer. The same peripherals can be remapped using companion software, and will remember what they were mapped to even after being removed. Included in the kit are two Power Cubes, a Charge Spacer, two Analog Cubes, a Half Cube, and various other components like trigger and D-pad peripherals, which allow for the plethora of combinations available.
Byowave isn’t stopping there, though. The company is working on bringing out more modular accessories that will allow even further customization options. These accessories include adjustable handles and 3D printable components that can be added by the user, but Byowave is also open-sourcing the connection mechanism to allow those 3D printed parts to be shared with the entire community.
The Proteus Controller is available for pre-order now at a 15% savings for just $255.