You really have to hand it to Microsoft for how they’ve stepped up their game under the leadership of Phil Spencer. From bringing us the Xbox One X to leveraging services to make the Xbox One platform stand out with Game Pass and Play Anywhere, it’s clear that Microsoft considers Xbox to be a core brand. The Xbox Adaptive Controller was announced to the world just yesterday to the collective cheers of the internet, and Spencer has big plans for it.
In an interview with GamesBeat, Spencer discussed that the controller is more than just Microsoft showing some social leadership by creating an official controller for gamers with disabilities to get in on the action, but there’s a business opportunity there for the company.
The fact that the Xbox Adaptive Controller opens up their platform to more potential players is that secret sauce according to Spencer, with the adaptive controller allowing those who can’t physically use a controller to experience, and therefore purchase, all of the great Xbox content is what the point is, not how well the controller sells. “The opportunity to open up gaming to a constituency that isn’t able to play as easily as you and I can, and the goodness in bringing more people to the platform—that’s a pretty special moment.” Said Spencer.
The Xbox Adaptive Controller launches on the Microsoft Store to be special ordered later in 2018 for an MSRP of $99.99 USD. You can learn more about the device over here.