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0 If you’ve been gaming for some time, you have probably seen accessibility products doing the rounds. Companies claim their products help people with accessibility issues, but many fall short. Now I will tell you right now, I am a perfectly able-bodied gamer. Albeit I wear glasses to play. My partner is a disabled gamer but again her accessibility needs are not physical. I love gaming and I am an advocate for bringing gaming to everyone. A dream that David Chapman, the Inventor and Founder of Thumb Soldiers sought to bring to reality.
No Fingers All Thumb…Soldiers
I could fill out the whole article with the backstory of the product, explaining why David created the Thumb Soldiers, what inspired him originally, and where it ended up. But that would just be a boring reiteration of their website, so once you’ve read this article, check them out.
They have been attending recent gaming events and showing off the products. With a growing increase in accessibility options in the gaming world, it’s time for something brand new.
Something New
So just what are Thumb Soldiers? Well in its simplistic form, it is a system where you can attach and detach different attachments to your controller dependent on your needs. With different attachments depending on game style, or disability, there is something to solve the majority of situations.
Having had a video call with David, and seeing his passion for the product and industry. It was clear that he was committed to getting as many people involved in the gaming world. This is just the beginning of what Thumb Soldiers is going to do. With nobody else having a system like this, the world is literally their oyster. But what exactly are they? What is the product itself? Well, let’s find out.
Knuckles
The Thumb Soldiers Knuckles are the main docking clips of the whole system. Fitting securely to your controllers’ thumbsticks, then give the platform for the Soldiers to attach to. The knuckles have an innovative clipping system, that attaches solidly without needing tools of any kind.
Manufactured from resilient materials and designed to withstand even the most excruciating of gameplay sessions. Whilst also holding sturdy the attachments, the knuckles are the foundation of the product. Being designed specifically for the different types of controllers out there, they come in 3 flavours. P, X and S. Now I bet you can guess what they stand for. And just in case you can’t, check out the below.
P: PS5 | PS4 | Switch Pro | Switch JoyCon | ROG Ally X | Sony Portal | Scuf Concave | Edge
X: Xbox One | Xbox X | Xbox S | Xbox Elite | ROG Extreme
S: Switch Standard
So depending on what controllers, or device you use, you might need to get a specific knuckle. Once you have them though, this is where the fun begins.
Soldiers
This is the section where it gets really interesting. With 8 sets of attachments, the Thumb Soldiers will have something for everyone. Or at least I hope they do! Attaching the soldiers is straightforward, you simply push and twist. That’s it, connected securely and easily swapped out for when you want to swap games. Shall we just get to it and see what attachments are available? Come on then
Racer:
This is probably one of my favourite soldiers, the racer combines a circular wheel attachment and a pedal. Giving you control over the smallest of movements to hit those apex all while giving you the smooth transition from braking to accelerating. This one isn’t really an accessibility-conscious controller, but I can see the uses of the Wheel attachment in a multitude of situations.
Studs:
This one aims to give you the feeling of having a Dpad on your thumbsticks. Giving multiple grip points on the surface allows you to keep your thumb in place and a study platform for playing whatever you fancy. One thing that has been reported in the community is combining the Studs with other attachments from other soldiers to evolve the configuration for your personal preference.
Step Up:
The most elaborate of soldiers, this one aims to give you a standard base, but with the added upper level. Moving your thumbs up to here gives you greater precision in your movements. So whether it’s racing or shooting, the Step Up attachment can be used all over the place.
Rock N Roller:
This one is designed to give you a new type of ergonomic, especially if you need a quick change of direction. With the raised edge and grippy surface, the Rock N Roller will allow your thumbs to make the movements much easier. Giving you the edge over a standard thumbstick surface.
Shrooms:
The Shrooms offer a larger surface area, so if you need assistance due to a disability, these might be for you. Take away the small surface area of a standard thumbstick and replace it with a 34mm oversized area. Give freedom to play your favourite games, even if your precision motor skills have deteriorated.
Sticks:
The sticks are in a league of their own when it comes to bringing accessibility to everyone. Replacing your thumbsticks with essentially arcade sticks means you don’t have to use your fingertips. Instead using your whole hand for easy. Designed for people with limited dexterity, allowing you to manipulate the controller in a very new way.
Rest:
Inclusivity at its best. Taking your hands out of the game altogether, just attach the Rest soldiers and all of a sudden you have this large platform for resting your chin on or even your wrist. Coming with one 66mm platform, and one 34mm this gives you the best of both worlds. Allowing you to combine into any combination you wish.
Navigation:
The final soldier gives you two smaller sticks. Giving you greater accuracy and comfort than the standard controller thumbsticks. This means your reaction times are decreased and precision is increased.
Final Thoughts
Well there you go, if you want any more information about the Thumb Sticks, tag them on social media and get in touch. David is a receptive person whose passion comes across in earnest. He has created an innovative product that needs to get into more hands than it currently is. If you have any more questions, we would love to help answer them, so drop a comment and one of the team will get back to you.
With so many options, Thumb Soldiers is a product that is going to help so many people. Bringing back their gaming enjoyment that perhaps they had thought lost. Helping those with disabilities play games that they originally maybe thought out of reach. We are excited to see what more products come out of the design book and into our hands.
For more information on Thumb Soldiers check out their website here.
Disclaimer: Samples were received to write this review.
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