For the past five years, engineers at Sony have been developing the PlayStation 5's answer to the Xbox Adaptive Controller, finally completing a triumvirate of accessibility-focused controllers for all three current-gen consoles, including the Nintendo-licensed Hori Flex. The palm-sized, turtle-shaped Access controller arrives three years into the lifecycle of the PS5, bringing with it an impressive amount of customization and flexibility. Flexibility that costs $90 at launch--$20 more than a DualSense, which is included with the PS5 as standard. In other words, flexibility comes at a cost. It's a price reflected in its Xbox and Switch counterparts with the Xbox Adaptive Controller (XAC) slightly costlier at $99.99, though both are dwarfed by the Hori Flex's retail price of $249.99.

After canceling our CES plans in 2022 (and not even having the option of attending in person in 2021), the Engadget team sent a dozen staffers to CES 2023 this week, including reporters, editors and videographers. It's too soon to say how many stories and videos we've published -- in fact, we have more good stuff coming -- but suffice to say, it was a lot. Though our team swears the show still wasn't as busy as pre-pandemic years, they were kept busy enough that it felt like a true return to form, not just for us, but for the tech industry at large. One thing that never stopped was Engadget's annual Best of CES Awards program, although this year marks the first time in three years we've been able to base our judgments off of a full slate of in-person hands-on experiences. All told, we're handing out a dozen awards this year, including the most prestigious: Best of the Best.

In June, 8BitDo, known for creating third-party controllers and adapters, announced their latest controller for the Nintendo Switch and Android devices. The Lite SE, created through collaborative efforts with father and son team Andreas and Oskar Karlsson, is designed specifically for physically disabled players with limited strength and mobility. The launch of this controller not only marks the culmination of years of hard work by Andreas to search for an affordable and accessible controller for his son, but it also expands the market of accessible gaming tech. At a young age Oskar was diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy type II, a neuromuscular disorder that progressively weakens muscles over time. Despite playing games throughout his life, his father regularly adapted standard controllers to meet his son's needs.

The Xbox Adaptive Controller was Microsoft's first real attempt at making accessible hardware. And while it was very well-received, it didn't really impact non-gamers. Today, the company is launching a new product with a much wider audience: a mouse. The Microsoft Adaptive Mouse kit actually consists of a mouse, attachable tail, hub and button. They're modular and highly customizable, offering a wide variety of ways for people with different needs to interact with their laptops, tablets or phones.

A high-contrast mode makes The Last of Us II more accessible to visually impaired gamers. A high-contrast mode makes The Last of Us II more accessible to visually impaired gamers. Last month, the highly anticipated video game The Last Of Us Part II was released for the Playstation 4. Both installments tell the story of a post-apocalyptic, zombie infested future -- the original game was lauded for its rich story and compelling characters. But the legacy of this new follow-up might be just how many people are actually able to play it. "Well mostly when I play video games, it was like watching my brother play video games," he says. Saylor has a vision impairment, which makes it hard to see the things video games expect you to see.

Make the world work for 100% of humanity, in the shortest possible time, through spontaneous cooperation without ecological offense or disadvantage of anyone. As a design leader, keeping one foot in the present and the other an optimistic future is all in a typical day. However, a little over a year ago, the universe decided to kick one of those feet out from under me and present me with an opportunity to experience life with a physical impairment. For the next three months, that injury left me wheelchair bound and gave me an opportunity to pivot my design from adoption, conversion and retention of users to accessibility and the rapid shift to Inclusive Design. According to the CDC, 1 in 4 US adults live with a disability.

Last December in Germany, beautiful twins Amelia and Bianca were born. But, unlike her sister, Bianca's health is perilous. She was born with heart problems, is missing ribs and vertebrae and has only one kidney. She cannot breathe without the help of special medical equipment. The place Bianca calls home for now, Kinderhaus AtemReich in Munich, is the only one of its kind in the country. More typically, hospitals' intensive care units (ICUs) are long-term destinations for children with critical breathing issues.

Contrary to popular belief, videogames aren't dominated by 12-year-old boys. In fact, according to the Entertainment Software Association and its just-released report, 2019 Essential Facts About the Computer and Video Game Industry, the median age of a U.S. gamer today is 33 years old and almost evenly split between male and female players (54% compared to 46%, respectively). Conducted by Ipsos for the Entertainment Software Association (ESA), and with additional data provided by the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) and the NPD Group, this annual study is billed as the most in-depth and targeted look at the evolving interactive entertainment space. The PDF report is free to download at theesa.com. "Today, there are 164 million adults who play video games in the United States, and three-quarters of all American households have at least one gamer in them," states Stan Pierre-Louis, Chief Executive Officer of the ESA, which serves as the voice and advocate for the dollar video game industry.

Erin Hawley doesn't care if she wins or loses, but with adaptive controllers, she and so many other disabled gamers are able to play the game. Gaming has been a huge part of Erin Hawley's life since she started playing Atari as a little girl. When the Keyport, New Jersey-based, 35-year-old digital content producer for the Easterseals charity gets off work, she gets right on her computer or Xbox and often keeps going until it's time for bed. Hawley is a fan of shooter titles such as "Overwatch" and "Half-Life," but she'll play adventure games, puzzles, almost anything. She's also a regular on the Amazon-owned Twitch live streaming platform.

The Xbox Adaptive Controller might just become an important tool for some US military veterans. Microsoft and the Department of Veterans Affairs have formed a partnership that will donate controllers, consoles, games and adaptive gear to 22 Veterans Affairs rehabilitation centers across the US. The accessible gamepads will help with rehab and therapy activities focused on hand-eye coordination and muscle activation, and should help veterans both have fun and socialize. VA staff will provide feedback to Microsoft both on the usefulness of the Adaptive Controller for therapy as well as the overall experience. Microsoft says the 22 centers represent "initial contributions," and that you can expect more.