Microsoft’s new Xbox Adaptive Joystick puts accessibility at the center

Microsoft is launching a new $29.99 Xbox Adaptive Joystick early next year that’s designed for players with limited mobility. It’s a wired companion for existing Xbox controllers and includes four buttons, an Xbox thumbstick, and two additional buttons for bumper and trigger controls.

The Xbox Adaptive Joystick allows you to operate a controller without having to use both hands, making it ideal for any players who might have difficulty using the thumbsticks on existing controllers. All the buttons are fully customizable, and there are a variety of 3D printable thumbstick toppers to customize the sizes, heights, and width of thumbsticks.

“From very early on with the adaptive joystick, we had disability community be hands-on with early designs and functional prototypes,” explains Kaitlyn Jones, senior accessibility product manager at Xbox, during a Gamescom stream. “Even from a software perspective, we’ve really heard from our players that they’ve wanted an affordable joystick for their adaptive controller, but also something that fits in seamlessly with their existing setup.”

You can connect the Xbox Adaptive Joystick to Microsoft’s Adaptive Controller for a full adaptive setup, or you can plug it directly into a PC or Xbox. It can even be mounted, thanks to a threaded insert like you’d find on a camera tripod. 

Community feedback played a big role in shaping this hardware. Microsoft visited a hospital in Seattle with a box of prototypes for one particular feedback session. “We got feedback on the grip size, shape, the number of buttons, and where the buttons are located,” says Chris Kujawski, principal designer at Xbox. 

Alongside Microsoft’s own Xbox Adaptive Joystick, the company has also revealed a new $59.99 Lite SE controller from 8BitDo that’s also designed for gamers with limited mobility. It has low-resistance buttons and Hall effect joysticks, and all the buttons are accessible at the top of the controller.

Microsoft has also built a new toggle hold feature for Xbox controllers that’s available to test for Xbox Insiders today. “This new feature is intended to help make using a controller even easier and supports players who have difficulty holding prolonged button presses,” says Microsoft’s gaming accessibility team. “Similar to sticky keys on a computer, assign any button or port on the Xbox Adaptive Controller, Xbox Adaptive Joystick, or Xbox Elite Series 2 controller to stay pressed until pressing again to release.”

The Xbox Adaptive Joystick also comes with improved packaging that’s similar to what Microsoft did with its previous Xbox Adaptive Controller. Microsoft is also improving the accessibility of the packaging for its three new Xbox Series S / X console options that are launching in October.

The Xbox Adaptive Joystick will launch in early 2025 in select Xbox markets worldwide and will be sold exclusively through the Microsoft Store, priced at $29.99.