As part of its ongoing commitment to make gaming accessible for all, Xbox has announced its new ‘Xbox Adaptive Joystick’ in collaboration with McCann London. 

The “Xbox Adaptive Joystick” was announced at Gamescom in Cologne alongside 3D printable files for adaptive thumbstick toppers, which are now available through Xbox Design Lab. The announcement comes with an impactful campaign titled, ‘This is how we do it’ which celebrates the diverse ways gamers with disabilities excel in gaming.

The campaign film celebrates the joy of gaming and is set to the upbeat soundtrack of Montell Jordan’s ‘This is how we do it’. It showcases some of the unique stories of people with disabilities and the ways they connect with gaming.

It shows the stories of three gamers who skillfully utilise these adaptive devices to enjoy gaming. These include  Leo, a child with issues with his motor ability, whose mother shares that gaming ‘just clicked with him’. They each share their stories of gaming and how they use their adaptive joysticks to play in a way that works for them. The spot highlights confidence and the joy of gaming.

The “Xbox Adaptive Joystick” is a singular controller that helps make gaming more accessible for any players’ needs. Players can connect to the Xbox Adaptive Controller for a full adaptive setup or plug the Xbox Adaptive Joystick directly into a console or PC and link with an Xbox controller for full controller functionality.

The ‘3D printable files for adaptive thumbstick toppers’ is a complimentary service with Xbox Design Lab, which offers a variety of 3D printable thumbstick topper shapes and sizes, to let the player tailor the controller to their needs.

The campaign aims to challenge perceptions of gamers and show the unique ways people can play with the help of adaptive solutions.

McCann London has worked with fashion photographer Lara Angelie for a stills element of the campaign that showcases the gamers. The visuals aim to further challenge perceptions, photographing the subjects in a dynamic, elevated manner.

"The Adaptive Joystick is more than a piece of hardware; it's a statement.” says Jim Nilsson, Creative Director at McCann London, “It's about inclusivity, empowerment, and giving more people access to gaming. Because when everybody plays, we all win. This campaign celebrates the Xbox community and how they play, and we hope it will inspire more people to discover the joy of gaming.”

Showcasing that everyone has the capacity to enjoy games with joy, the campaign underlines the importance of accessibility and showcases Xbox’s ongoing commitment to inclusivity.