Whilst the release of the Access controller means that support for accessibility switch use is now available using a first-party controller, some players may be looking to add additional switches to their controller set-up.
The PlayStation 5 (4) Reassignable Jacks controller from Evil Controllers, is a modified PS5 DualSense controller. It has an external interface box fitted with four 3.5 mm switch ports that players can connect compatible accessibility switches into. The DualSense controller itself is still fully functional, so players can still use this alongside the added switches.
In this post, we will look at how the controller could be used in example controller set-ups and also the alternatives that could be considered.
Switches
Accessibility switches are external buttons that can come in different shapes and sizes and can require different amounts of force to activate them. The image above includes three switches from the Logitech G Adaptive Gaming Kit for Access controller, an AbleNet Buddy Button and Specs switch and a Marblesoft Ultra Light HD Switch as examples of some of the switches we use at SpecialEffect. They allow you to position an input away from the controller or interface and place it where it is most suitable to access it, which may vary from person to person.
Depending on the interface they are connected to, they can act as inputs for playing games. Many come with a 3.5 mm jack connector, which will fit the ports on the PlayStation 5 (4) Reassignable Jacks controller and most of those will work, if they are digital (on/off). However, analog switches, such as the Variable Triggers from the Logitech G Adaptive Gaming Kit for Access Controller), which are analog, will not work correctly and will need to be used with a compatible interface, like an Access controller.
Using the PlayStation 5 (4) Reassignable Jacks controller, the connected switches can be used for a number of PS5 inputs. You can map the switch ports to the following inputs: Cross, Circle, Square, Triangle, D-pad directions, L3, R3, L1, R1, L2 and R2. They cannot be used for stick directions, touchpad button or swipe inputs, PS, Create or Options.
To map a port to a particular input, you first hold the touchpad button on the attached DualSense controller and then hold a connected switch input until the light on the controller flashes once. You then press the input on the attached DualSense controller that you would like that switch to be used for. The light on the controller will briefly flash on and off a few times quickly and then your switch will be ready to use.
For more information on the switches we use at SpecialEffect and how we mount them, please see the following posts: Using Switches to Access Button Presses and How to Mount and Position Switches and Controllers.
Potential Uses
Below are some examples of how the the PlayStation 5 (4) Reassignable Jacks controller could be used to add switches to a controller set-up on a PS5 console. They include illustrative photos using combinations of switches from two Logitech G Adaptive Gaming Kits for Access controller. Actual controller set-ups will need to be created and customised for each individual player’s needs.
Standalone Set-Up: Players may benefit from the PlayStation 5 (4) Reassignable Jacks controller, if they use a DualSense controller, but would benefit from accessing one to four of the inputs in an alternative way – by positioning some external accessibility switches to be used in an alternative position with the hands or another part of the body.
Standalone Cooperative Set-Up: A player may also use this controller to share controls with another player and play cooperatively. For instance, they may use one to four switches themselves, whilst another player supplements these with the attached DualSense controller (or vice versa) and controlling the same character or vehicle in-game.
Using the PS5 console’s ‘Use Second Controller for Assistance feature’ (image above), the controller could also be paired to a second PlayStation 5 (4) Reassignable Jacks controller, again, either to split the controls for their own use, or to play cooperatively alongside a second player.
Combined with an Access controller: If more switch ports were needed, but not an additional gamepad, then it could alternatively be used alongside an Access controller to add four additional switch ports (illustrative example set-up in image above). The Access controller allows the use of one DualSense controller alongside it, by default (just sign in with the controllers on the same account). In addition, the Access controller supports some of the inputs the PlayStation 5 (4) Reassignable Jacks controller does not, such as mapping to PS Home and use of the Variable Triggers from the Logitech G Adaptive Gaming Kit for Access controller.
Players may benefit from the PlayStation 5 (4) Reassignable Jacks if they use a DualSense controller, but would benefit from accessing one to four of the inputs in an alternative way, by positioning some external accessibility switches to be used in an alternative position with the hands or another part of the body.
A player may also use it to share controls with another player and play cooperatively. For instance, they may use one to four switches themselves, whilst another player supplements these with the attached DualSense controller (or vice versa) and controlling the same character or vehicle in-game.
Using the PS5 console’s ‘Use Second Controller for Assistance feature’, the controller could also be paired to a second PlayStation 5 (4) Reassignable Jacks controller, again, either to split the controls for their own use, or to play cooperatively alongside a second player.
Combined with Two Access controllers: Pairing it to two Access controllers, would bring the total switch ports available up to twelve (illustrative example in image above). Again, pairing two Access controllers with one DualSense controller is done by signing in to all controllers with the same account when turning them on. If only additional gamepad inputs were needed (e.g. to split the gamepad controls between different parts of the body or two players) and not switch ports, then a standard DualSense could be paired instead.
Alternatively, the 3.5 mm ports on an Access controller may also be used for compatible joysticks, which would reduce the amount of accessibility switches you can use in the ports on an access controller (illustrative example using two Evil Controllers’ Mini Thumbsticks in image above).
Alternative Options: Another current method of increasing the number of switch ports is the 19-switch DualSwitch interface from OneSwitch. As the name suggests, this allows for many more additional switches, if needed.
At SpecialEffect, we have also used an Xbox Adaptive Controller (XAC) via a Besavior and Titan Two device. The XAC includes 19 switch ports, two of which also double as inputs for compatible joysticks with 3.5 mm connections, and two USB joystick connections.
As an alternative method of using the XAC on PS5, you can also connect it via a PC using PS Remote Play. One method we have used, uses REWASD software and another uses a Titan Two device.
Summary
Players who do not need the additional benefits of the buttons and joysticks of the PS5 Access controller, may consider the PlayStation 5 (4) Reassignable Jacks controller as an alternative, ‘streamlined’ way to add switches to their set-up.
In addition, players looking to add additional switch ports to the eight ports available when pairing the maximum of two Access controllers available in a set-up on PS5, can increase this from eight to twelve using the PlayStation 5 (4) Reassignable Jacks controller, and utilising the PS5’s option of pairing two Access controllers alongside one (in this case modified) DualSense controller.
We hope that this post has been useful. For more ideas on accessing a PS5 console, please use our ‘PS5 Access‘ tag.
Links (unaffiliated)
Evil Controllers’ PlayStation 5 (4) Reassignable Jacks: https://www.evilcontrollers.com/playstation-5-custom-4-reassignable-jack-controller
Evil Controllers’ remapping instructions (equivalent product): https://www.evilcontrollers.com/media/magefan_blog/2021/09/Remap-Instructions_PS5-Buttons.pdf
PlayStation 5’s ‘Use a Second Controller for Assistance’ instructions: https://www.playstation.com/en-gb/support/hardware/second-controller-assistance/