Microsoft shows clip about disabled gamers at the Super Bowl

The latest Super Bowl for American football showed adverts with a difference this year. The game was interesting to watch for its advertising clips that are shown during half time. This year, Microsoft dedicated its Super Bowl appearance to disabled children.

Videogames are important to disabled people as they are one way they can take part in activities with their friends and forget about life’s difficulties. However, they still need help as standard games console controllers are made for people with two able arms. This therefore excludes gamers with limited mobility since they can often experience difficulties using the many small buttons on game controllers.

Microsoft has launched the Xbox Adaptive Controller, specially designed for gamers with physical disabilities. The controller has two large A and B touch panels, a d-pad and connect assistive switches. For example, gamers can set up their controller so that they can tap buttons with their right leg, or use the device similar to a Wii -- with one hand. Since disabilities can differ, the Xbox Adaptive Controller can be set up and tuned to each individual user to fit their needs and for what is most comfortable for them.

The Xbox Adaptive Controller costs 99 USD, meaning the advert during the SUper Bowl is still for a commercial product. Moreover, Microsoft released a video in November with the same motif and this one again is to drum up positive PR.

However, even if we take Microsoft’s corporate goals into account, the Xbox Adaptive Controller is still a unique device for the industry, with no other games console company out there offering anything similar.