Light touch controller gets James back in the game
Tuesday, February 25th, 2020
“I don’t want to get his hopes up,” said James’s mum when she contacted us on behalf of her son. “But for him to be able to continue playing games would be amazing for him, especially as he’s lost the ability to do such a lot already.”
James has muscular dystrophy, and although he could reach all of the buttons on his Xbox controller, his limited finger strength meant that he would often struggle to press them. As a result, he was playing less and less.
Our specialist assessment team talked to James and his family via a series of online support calls, establishing what games he wanted to play and the exact nature of his functional movements. They were then able to identify equipment that could potentially allow him to play his favourite games to the best of his abilities. Our team then provided a modified Xbox controller with very low-force buttons and joysticks and therefore responsive to a much lighter touch.
We were delighted to hear back that the modified controller made all the difference. It’s reopened the door to regular gaming and he’s able to enjoy Assassin’s Creed, Planet Coaster, FIFA and Call of Duty again.
“I’m now able to play games that I didn’t think I’d be able to play again – and I can play them without getting tired,” he said. “The new controller has enabled me to enjoy gaming again, especially during these past few months.”
It’s YOUR support that’s enabled us to make such a life-enhancing difference for James, and we simply can’t thank you enough. Our team will be on hand to offer further specialist support as he takes on more gaming challenges and we’re looking forward to meeting him in person as soon as we can if needed.
Under the current COVID-related restrictions, online assessment and support is proving to be an effective alternative way to provide our life-changing support, so please do get in touch if you think we can help.
