Posted by Michelle Golden for Service Dog HQ on Feb 21st 2019
Microsoft's Xbox Adaptive Controller: Accessibility at an Outrageous Cost
The Super Bowl. Easily the biggest American football game of the year. Hand in hand with the game’s special event status comes advertising opportunities, and companies compete madly not only for airtime, but for their ad offering to be the best, the most memorable. This means that companies often go all out on these commercials, often saving a special new product or outrageous gimmick that will capture the attention, and hopefully the wallets, of viewers.
Personally, I am not one for sports in general, and its plausible at the very least that my disinterest is at least partially fueled by my physical disability. However, I do enjoy watching the Super Bowl for the advertisements, as well as spending time in the company of friends and family. The same was true this year, and one commercial resonated deeply for me, as evidenced by my writing this post nearly two weeks later, Microsoft released a touching and emotionally evocative advertisement showcasing a significant innovation in the world of gaming: a modular adaptive controller, designed to let individuals with disabilities game more easily. Initially this reveal was met with great enthusiasm, as it should be.
(Video via Microsoft YouTube Channel)
However, looking deeper into the specifics of the new technology raises some red flags that warrant addressing.
According to Wikipedia, work on the Microsoft Adaptive controller began in 2012, with its formal release to the public coming just a few months ago, in September 2018. I was overjoyed when I encountered this tidbit of information, as it made clear the fact that Microsoft had taken the challenge of improving gaming accessibility seriously. Further corroborating this is the involvement of organizations like The Cerebral Palsy Foundation and AbleGamers (a charity which strives to make video gaming an accessible pastime for people with a variety of disabilities via grants for equipment or assisting with the creation of tech like the Microsoft Adaptive Controller.) in the project.
A cursory glance at Microsoft’s retail website yields yet more positives, starting with the design of the controller itself. The main controller is in fact more of a sort of barebones hub. It performs the basic functions of a standard Xbox One or Windows PC controller, but it also allows for a wide range of additional switches or adaptive joysticks to be connected and integrated into the set up. This intensely modular design offers some of the most widely varied options for adaptive gameplay I have ever seen. However, the more I explored the available options for customization, the more what had been a nagging concern blossomed into being. I realized that the new controller is primarily geared toward addressing the needs of mobility impaired gamers. Other gamers that may need greater accessibility to fully enjoy their chosen hobby are still left with few options. For example, visually impaired gamers may find the new adaptive controller less than conducive to meeting their needs, as the controller has no rumble feature. This is a notable omission as a rumble feature is often used to do things such as indicate damage taken by the player character or denote proximity to clues in games that have that mechanic. Those that rely on such things would, I imagine, find themselves somewhat adrift without that feedback It is unknown whether sound or similar stimulus changes could be made for hearing impaired gamers either.
(Image from: Xbox.com/en-us)
Furthermore, and perhaps most importantly, there is the acute sticker shock. Per Microsoft’s website, the barebones “hub” of the Xbox Adaptive Controller retails for $99 plus tax and shipping. Any additional equipment needed, such as compatible switches and joysticks, are sold separately. The simplest of these is around $65 each, with multiple likely needed for one controller. The costliest compatible adaptive gear is several hundred dollars. I understand that adaptive and assistive technologies are somewhat of a niche market, but such price gouging feels distinctly like exploitation. This becomes particularly starkly true when you realize that the most basic Xbox One controllers retail for $59. Already, that puts those in need of an adaptive controller facing roughly a 30% markup in price due to a need for accessibility consideration. And as noted above, that would only account for the bare bones “hub” of the basic Xbox Adaptive Controller.
In order to have a full understanding of my distaste for this marketing choice, I find it necessary to share with you some of my personal interest in this topic. I have cerebral palsy and am significantly mobility impaired. I have also been an avid video gamer since I was a young child. I first began playing computer and video games around the age of five or so. Immediately I was fascinated. Video games were able to broaden my world in ways I could never dream of. Through the characters I controlled, I had the ability to run, jump, climb, swim, and so much more. I could be the hero of my own story, or the villain if I so chose, saving or destroying worlds on a whim. I remain an avid gamer to this day, and my passion for the hobby has only increased. In addition to breaking barriers for me in terms of allowing me access to physical “experiences” I could only dream of, but it has helped me immensely from a psychological standpoint. In addition to my physical and medical impairments, I am diagnosed with depression, anxiety, and PTSD. Though I take medication to address these concerns, as well as utilizing a service dog, I do still occasionally have challenging days in this regard. Often, I find myself turning to video games to manage the symptoms. They give me a sense of control over my world which can be difficult to attain during an episode, and allow me to vent my negative feelings, be they fear or pain, outward in an appropriate manner instead of engaging in self harm. My doctors understand I do this and have encouraged me to make it a part of my regular treatment plan.
Additionally, for those who choose to engage in online multiplayer, video games can represent a key means to cultivate relationships with others, even when your health limits your ability to leave the house or connect in more traditional ways. I personally do not, but that is more personal preference than anything else. Consider also the presence of gaming consoles in hospitals and rehab centers, where kids and adults alike are encouraged to use them to boost their morale, and even make them part of their return to health through games that use motion controls and the like.
Thankfully, I don’t happen to need the Microsoft Xbox Adaptive Controller to game, but as I am not alone in how games affect my life as a disabled individual, I have concern for those who do. Many adults with disabilities like me are on fixed or limited incomes, largely due to receiving government assistance. And families raising special needs children are unlikely to have it much easier, as in both scenarios, life with a disability leads to a variety of specialized and sometimes unforeseen expenses, such as mobility aid needs, medical procedures, specialized clothes and food, and much more. That is unlikely to leave much money for other things, such as adaptive gaming equipment. Yet I find it abhorrent that gamers with disabilities should have to face their world becoming limited because of lack of funds.
Now that the largest and most glaring of the issues have been laid bare, it is crucial to look forward to solutions. While at least one charity to allow gamers with disabilities access to this technology through a grant exists in the form of AbleGamers (mentioned above), they seem to be swamped with grant requests and thus would not be able to grant as many requests as could be reasonably anticipated through this avenue. Additional options should be explored.
Firstly, Microsoft could consider lowering the cost of the basic adaptive controller by a small sum, to bring it more in line with the price of a standard Xbox One controller. This would fall in line with a principle known as UD or Universal Design, which says that accessible options should be made available in ways that are comparable to non-adaptive options, if complete integration so that everyone uses the same method of access is not possible. It is important to note that this option does not involve lowering the price of the additional switches, joysticks or mounts, so a profit for Microsoft could still be reasonably expected. A price decrease of $20 dollars, bringing the hub to $69, would serve nicely. Furthermore, I would like to see Microsoft consider selling bundle options for the Xbox Adaptive Controller on their website, (with the hub still at the hypothetical $69 price point) which would allow users to purchase common configurations of the controller and include switches/mounts/joysticks etc. in the combined price. Additional attachments could still be purchased separately where necessary. Both options would likely precipitate an increase in sales, making up for potentially lost profit per unit by selling more volume.
I would also encourage Microsoft to make new Xbox Adaptive Controllers available in brick and mortar stores, such as GameStop (who carries it, but only online at the moment.) Were this allowed, gamers would enjoy increased access to the technology and the ability to make sure it will meet their needs before ordering sight unseen. As of this writing, stores such as Walmart and Amazon do not carry the Xbox Adaptive Controller at all, which is additionally detrimental to its adoption by the community of gamers with disabilities, and its long-term success. Speaking of long-term success, should these changes be implemented, long term goals such as reinstating rumble packs into adaptive controllers, or offering options that accommodate more than just those who primarily live with mobility related impairments. That would make Microsoft among the most disability friendly companies in the world, and truly put them at the forefront of innovation, surely a position the company would want. It could also create healthy competition in the adaptive gaming market, allowing other consoles to become more accessible in turn.
A truly accessible world is a huge undertaking, but as technology grows it seems less and less Utopian. Steps such as this one, with the adaptation and improved accessibility of what seems to many to be a simple hobby, are crucial. They pave the way for more discovery and innovation to come. I commend the efforts of all involved in the Xbox Adaptive Controller project, but it is important not to become complacent. We have achieved much, but there is still so far to go.
For more information on topics covered in this blog post, check out:
https://www.xbox.com/en-us/xbox-one/accessories/controllers/xbox-adaptive-controller
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xbox_Adaptive_Controller
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_design
http://www.universaldesign.com/
Thanks for reading!
Michelle