Signals

Global – Microsoft is pushing the boundaries of inclusive gaming with the introduction of its Xbox Adaptive Joystick. Designed to empower gamers with limited mobility, this new wired accessory complements existing Xbox controllers, offering a tailored gaming experience for both solo and cooperative play.

After years of extensive research and collaboration with disabled gamers and accessibility experts, Microsoft has unveiled a joystick that features four customisable button inputs, a standard Xbox thumbstick, and two additional buttons that replicate the bumper and trigger functions on traditional controllers. This thoughtful design ensures that the joystick can be adapted to a variety of needs, whether used one-handed, mounted on a surface or operated by non-hand body parts like the chin.

The joystick’s versatility is further enhanced by the Xbox Accessories app, which allows users to remap buttons and create personalised controller profiles. Set for release in early 2025, the Xbox Adaptive Joystick will be available in selected markets through the Microsoft Store at a price of £22.70 ($29.99, €26.95), re-affirming Microsoft’s commitment to making gaming accessible to everyone, a topic we explored in Innovation Debrief 2023–2024.

UK/France – The UK beauty market is on track to overtake that in France, with sales of skincare and perfume soaring by nearly 11% in the year to June 2024, almost double the growth in the French market.

 According to market research firm Circana, the UK’s luxury beauty sector reached a value of £1.53bn ($2.02bn, €1.82bn), narrowing the gap with France, where the market rose 6% to a value of £1.62bn ($2.14bn, €1.92bn). If the current growth rate continues, the British market is expected to surpass that of France by the end of 2025.

This rapid growth is fuelled by the success of British brands like Typebea and Charlotte Tilbury; the UK’s beauty industry is now bigger than those in Germany, Italy and Spain. Oxford Economics reports that the British beauty industry was valued at £27.2bn ($36bn, €32.3bn) in 2023, and employed more than 600,000 people.

Industry leaders warn, however, that continued success depends on better access to the EU market. ‘We’ve had to be dynamic and pivot,’ said Millie Kendall, CEO of the British Beauty Council, emphasising the need to ease post-Brexit trade barriers to promote growth.

Explore our Beauty section to learn about the latest innovations in products, campaigns and emerging markets, and read interviews with industry experts.