Bringing Thomas’s accessible gaming dream to life
Monday, July 27th, 2026
Thomas has always loved gaming. However, because he has cerebral palsy, he doesn’t have the fine motor control needed to use a standard games controller effectively. Most modern controllers rely on precise finger and thumb movements over multiple joysticks, buttons and triggers, something that presented significant physical challenges for him.
As a result, his gaming options were often limited. He would frequently resort to just playing fighting games, pressing whichever buttons he could reach rather than being able to fully control his character.
He knew he had reasonable control of his feet and wondered whether he could use that ability to create a gaming setup for his Xbox that was tailored to the way he moved, so he contacted our specialist assessment team for advice.
Working together with Thomas, our team explored how to make the most of his movements that could be accurate, repeatable and comfortable over long gaming sessions. We recommended large accessible joysticks that would be easier to use with his hand and arm movements, along with foot switches that could handle many of the controller inputs. To provide even greater flexibility, we also suggested adding a pair of large buttons near his right hand for games that relied on a single joystick.
Once the setup was mapped out, we sent Thomas the equipment and connections he needed to try his favourite games like EA Sports FC, Grand Theft Auto and Call of Duty.
The result appears to have exceeded expectations. “It’s going grand!” he said, “Thank you for very much for the gaming equipment.”
Finding the right combination of assistive and positioning technology to unlock maximum gaming freedom can be a costly, frustrating and time-consuming process for gamers and their families. It’s a privilege to help make that journey easier for gamers like Thomas by offering advice, experience, equipment loans and the promise of lifelong help and support.
Image above: Thomas plays using a combination of two Ultra-Stik joysticks and a number of Buddy Buttons connected to his Xbox via an Xbox Adaptive Controller (the white box to his left)