Welcome to the Firstport Accessible Gaming hub! It's great to have you here.
Here you'll find awesome reviews, which will keep coming, thanks to brilliant members of our disability community who want to support others to get gaming. You'll find more information about how to set up, to connect and some advice about accessible games.
If you're a support person for a member of our disability community, you can also find some helpful advice around gaming safety and support.
Why is there so much on the PlayStation Access Controller?
“Experiencing a different way of gaming is exciting,” says Pasifika disability advocate and now reviewer, Naomi Vailima.
“The PlayStation and Firstport partnership has given me the opportunity to test on behalf of my young peers who face their own barriers to gaming.”
The idea for this hub came thanks to the launch of PlayStation New Zealand’s new Access Controller. PlayStation New Zealand wanted a way to connect with people who’ve never gamed before.
So rather than just share a social post, our Firstport team reached out to our community for volunteers.
Gaming is a leveller, it’s a mainstream activity that allows people to connect and engage no matter who or where they are. And thanks to PlayStation New Zealand’s Access Controller, even our community with limited mobility can get involved.
So why are there other bits too?
The Firstport team have expanded the accessible gaming hub after speaking to experienced gamers from our community like Humphry (known on Twitch as NohandsNZ).
While PlayStation’s Access Controller is the focus for our reviewers, thanks to their generous support, we’ve included plenty of advice and insight into the whole world of accessible gaming.
The opportunity to find new friends, explore new worlds and enable good lives was just too important for us to miss out on supporting our community to explore the world of gaming.
Our reviewers join a global disabled gaming community estimated at over 429 million people. Opening the door to over 1.1 million disabled New Zealanders to access the gaming experience. “Gaming is my escape when the world gets too heavy. It relaxes and entertains me, grounding me when I need it most,” explains reviewer Vannessa. “Let's see how it plays out!”
Find out more about the PlayStation Access Controller
Find out more about the team at Firstport
We'd like to give a huge thank you to all our amazing reviewers and the support people who've made it possible.
This gaming hub could not have been launched without the support of:
PlayStation New Zealand (external link) who provided the opportunity for our community to explore their experiences.
ILead, (external link) a social change movement dedicated to amplifying the voices of disabled youth with disabilities, while also upskilling. A movement by disabled youth, for disabled youth.
Kylee & Co (external link) , a platform for all things accessible! Founded by Kylee with a small group of her peers, Kylee & Co is by the disability community, for everyone. A business that promotes accessible products for everyday solutions, Kylee & Co seeks to create opportunities for vendors and customers alike.
Whaikaha – Ministry of Disabled People (external link) , who provide the support that enables our disability community to live good lives and access valuable resources and advice.