Xbox’s new accessibility features include remapping keyboard keys to controllers

Microsoft has outlined some of the new Xbox accessibility features due in the coming months, including the ability to remap keyboard keys to the Xbox Adaptive Controller and Elite Series 2.

As detailed over on Xbox Wire, players will soon be able to remap almost 90 keyboard keys – or combinations of keys – to any button on the Xbox Adaptive Controller and Elite Series 2, meaning users with limited mobility can, for instance, use the Xbox Adaptive Controller with games that would ordinarily only support mouse/keyboard.

The feature – which will be available through the Xbox Accessories app on PC and console – is currently being tested by Xbox Insiders and Xbox Accessibility Insiders League (XAIL) members, but is due to launch for all players at some point “in the coming months”.

Also on the way is an update to the Windows PC Game Bar introducing ‘Game Accessibility’ settings for Xbox Widgets. Microsoft says the feature – which is launching tomorrow, 19th October – will “make it even easier” for players to locate visual and audio-related accessibility options on the platform.

Over on Xbox, Microsoft has updated the Xbox Store to add a new ‘Accessibility in Games’ channel that’ll display all games featuring accessibility tags. Previously, Xbox.com and the Xbox Store would only highlight games with six or more accessibility tags, but the new channel – which can be filtered based on Gameplay, Audio, or Visual and Input accessibility criteria – should make it easier to find all games flagged any of the 20 supported tags.

Rounding out its update, Microsoft flagged a few of the accessibility features recently added to some of its first-party games, including audio cues to help blind/low vision players target opponents in Sea of Thieves. More details on all the above can be found over on Xbox Wire.

In related news, Eurogamer contributor Geoffrey Bunting highlighted the major talks that happened during this year’s game accessibility focused GAconf earlier this week on the site.