Microsoft's Xbox Adaptive Controller's Packaging Can Be Opened Easily By Players With Disabilities

TheGamer

By Sean Murray

Published Jul 26, 2018

Microsoft is making the packaging of their new Xbox Adaptive Controller as accessible as the controller itself.

via Microsoft

Microsoft's Xbox Adaptive Controller's Packaging Can Be Opened Easily By Players With Disabilities

Microsoft is making the packaging of their new Xbox Adaptive Controller as accessible as the controller itself.

Game packaging is the devil. If it’s not the shrinkwrap covering the latest release, it’s the multitude of boxes and zip ties that come with every console system. And controllers? Forget it! They’re wrapped in enough plastic to stop a bullet. You need a special tool just to open the damned things.

What if you’re a differently abled gamer? That plastic coating that is a nearly impassable barrier for a regular person might as well be an actually impassable chasm. Which is a problem if you’re making a new game controller specifically for the differently abled.

Luckily, Microsoft is filled with billions of dollars, and they have an entire research team dedicated to their packaging. Thanks to Microsoft’s Packaging Design team, the Xbox Adaptive Controller will have the easiest to open package ever conceived by humanity.

The animation helpfully provided by Microsoft assume the gamer purchased their adaptive controller online and not in a store, which is a fair assumption considering there are very few controllers aimed at the disabled in most retail outlets.

First, the box arrives with a piece of sealing tape on top. Remove the sealing tape and the box opens up like a delightful origami flower revealing the Adaptive Controller’s actual package. On the side of the box is another piece of lightly adhered sealing tape that can be removed to reveal a small fabric handle. Lift the handle and the box opens up to reveal the actual controller.

But wait, there’s more! The controller is sitting on a tray with another handle that you can easily remove simply by pulling. After that, another handle is revealed that attaches to a box containing the controller’s cords. The tray you grabbed to remove the controller also has the quick start instructions on it.

Now the disabled have something to lord over their regularly-abled brethren: a package they can get into faster than we can get into our regular packaging.

We’re not jealous or anything. We’re just seething with vicious envy.

NEXT: XBOX UNVEILS THE ADAPTIVE CONTROLLER FOR LIMITED MOBILITY GAMERS