Microsoft Expands on Xbox Adaptive Controller With New Joystick Peripheral

Microsoft has announced a new Xbox accessory that continues the company’s mission of making gaming accessible for everyone.

Microsoft revealed the Xbox Adaptive Joystick in a new Xbox Wire blog post today. The Xbox Adaptive Joystick features four buttons and one big black joystick at the top center of the device’s design. This peripheral is designed as a “companion” to the company’s Xbox Adaptive Controller and other Xbox controllers, specifically for players with limited mobility.

Interestingly, Xbox notes in the blog post that not only are the buttons customizable, but there is also a slew of 3D printable files for the thumbstick toppers, as shown in the image below. These files allow users to customize the height, width, and size of the thumbstick. The 3D files are available via the Xbox Design Lab.

“From very early on with the Adaptive Joystick, we had our disability community be hands-on with early designs and functional prototypes,” Xbox Senior Accessibility Product Manager Kaitlyn Jones explained during the Xbox @ gamescom Day 1 stream. “But even from a software perspective, we’ve really heard from our players that they’ve wanted: one an affordable joystick for their adaptive controllers, they can easily find that as a resource to them, but also something that fits in seamlessly with their existing setups. So, we knew it was important to create something that was highly customizable."

Some Xbox fans may find that the new Xbox Adaptive Controller looks familiar. Last year, during the major court document leak from the Microsoft v. FTC trial, a slideshow from May 2022 showed basic concepts for a few devices, including a one-hand controller.

The Xbox Adaptive Joystick will be released early next year. The controller will retail for $29.99 and be sold exclusively on the official Xbox website.

In addition to the Adaptive Joystick, Xbox announced at gamescom 2024 that it partnered with third-party controller maker 8BitDo to create the Lite SE controller, another accessory designed for gamers with limited mobility. This accessory will cost $60 and features “low-resistance buttons,” along with highly sensitive Hall Effect joysticks, with all the buttons accessed on the top of the controller.