3d-printed-controller-modifications

The Controller Project asks those with 3D printers to print controller modifications for their fellow gamers.

Despite being the biggest industry in the world, gaming can sometimes be all too exclusive. It's easy for the able-bodied to take their lot for granted, unaware that huge swathes of the global population are left out in the cold when it comes to the oversights of some big gaming companies.

But there are people out there trying to bridge the gap. Organizations like AbleGamers, for example, are raising awareness and helping people with physical disabilities get into the magical world of gaming through donations. But they're not the only ones - and if you have a 3D printer, you can help even more directly.

From printing knick-knacks to houses, 3D printers are the kind of devices that remind us how we're living in the future. And Caleb Kraft recognized that potential (and the aptness of his surname) to help gamers with physical disabilities that might otherwise preclude them from playing some of the industry's biggest titles.

And so The Controller Project was born, and its MO is simple: to ship out 3D printed controller modifications for free (or almost free) to gamers with physical disabilities that prevent them from using standard controllers easily or effectively. The project started ten years ago, but since then has grown into a global operation involving thousands of volunteers willing to donate their services and that of their own 3D printers.

Now, Kraft's project is like a well-oiled machine. With regular uploads to a YouTube channel demonstrating his work, Kraft takes orders from disabled gamers, then delegates the project to printer-owning volunteers around the world.

For interested parties, the process is as simple as getting in touch with Kraft, receiving the files directly, then printing, assembling and shipping them out to the person in need.

There are many ways we can help our fellow gamers. And fundraising or donating are two simple yet effective ways. But thanks to The Controller Project, 3D printed controller modifications printed and shipped directly is another, more direct option.