When it comes to talking about accessibility and video games, the loudest voices are often those who never had to worry about the subject in the first place. The ability to plop down on the couch at the end of the day, pick up a controller, and play any title on the market is often taken for granted by players who don’t have disabilities. For players that do, added customization options can mean the difference between finding their next beloved title and being unable to enjoy it at all.
These potentially pivotal customizations are incorporated into titles by developers who don’t personally require them, which can (and has) led to some hits and misses, from illegible subtitle styles to difficulty settings that fail to tailer crucial elements of combat. It’s why so many companies have been turning to accessibility advocates and consultants in recent years, and the results have been promising so far.
Lauded titles range from AAA behemoths like Assassin’s Creed Odyssey and Far Cry: New Dawn to indie darlings like Celeste, applauded for their strides in advancing both the quality and quantity of these options. Still, I couldn’t help but wonder if the players personally relying on them had any notes for improvements. With that in mind, I asked gamers with disabilities if they were given the chance to design a game with their dream accessibility features, what would it look like?
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