Xbox adds Goal Post thumbstick topper; updates accessibility page

Xbox released an updated set of Adaptive Thumbstick Toppers and refreshed its Accessible Gaming page on Xbox.com for Global Accessibility Awareness Day. The new Goal Post topper and revised attachment design are available today through Xbox Design Lab.

The updated toppers use an improved attachment intended to resist higher-force use and stay secure during play. Xbox offers seven topper shapes. Users can customize width and height for compatible controllers and download free 3D-printable files from Xbox Design Lab. Files are available without purchasing a controller; users need access to a 3D printer or a printing service to produce the toppers.

The Accessible Gaming page on Xbox.com has been redesigned with clearer content, simplified navigation and a more approachable layout to help players find information on accessibility features and supported hardware.

Xbox has added accessibility tags in its storefronts, including tags from the Accessible Games Initiative, to help players filter and find titles that match their needs. The company cited recent and ongoing accessibility work in several games as examples of current efforts.

Forza Horizon 6, which launched this week, includes features such as AutoDrive via ANNA (D-pad), Proximity Radar, High Contrast Mode and a planned post-launch update to enable American Sign Language and British Sign Language in cinematics. Double Fine’s Kiln offers flexible text settings, visual accessibility options and remappable controls. Sea of Thieves has added accessibility improvements in more than half of its 100-plus updates, including control remapping, Audio Aim Assist for players with low or no sight, and a Custom Text Overlay for challenge content.

Activision added accessibility options to Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, including support for Cephable, which allows control via voice, facial expressions and head movements through a companion app, and Advanced Motion Control settings designed to reduce motion-related discomfort. Activision also presented research commissioned with the Royal National Institute of Blind People at the CSUN Assistive Technology Conference showing that 84 percent of blind or partially sighted respondents reported improved social interaction from gaming and 87 percent cited stress relief.

Xbox says the topper updates and site refresh reflect input from players, accessibility advocates and experts. The downloadable topper files and the updated Accessible Gaming page are available now on Xbox Design Lab and Xbox.com.