Abstract
This paper provides an overview of game accessibility. It describes what game accessibility is and highlights the need to combine usability and adaptability, as a “one-size-fits-all” approach is not possible due to the interactive and dynamic nature of the video game medium and the array of (dis)abilities different users may have. The main accessibility barriers different groups of users face are also presented. Then, the main focus shifts to the current state of the art in game accessibility, including existing guidelines and research carried out in this field. Finally, future perspectives are outlined, emphasizing the need for a user-centred approach and for collaboration between users, academia, and the industry.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Similar content being viewed by others
References
The Washington Post. The giants of the video game industry have thrived in the pandemic. Can the success continue? 12 May 2020. https://www.washingtonpost.com/video-games/2020/05/12/video-game-industry-coronavirus/. Accessed 02 Feb 2021
WHO. Disability and health. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/disability-and-health. Accessed 02 Feb 2021
IGDA GASIG. The IGDA Game Accessibility Special Interest Group. https://igda-gasig.org. Accessed 04 Feb 2021
Bierre, K., et al.: Accessibility in Games: Motivations and Approaches (2004). https://g3ict.org/publication/igda-accessibility-in-games-motivations-and-approaches. Accessed 04 Feb 2021
Mangiron, C.: Exploring new paths towards game accessibility. In: Remael, A., Orero, P., Carroll, M. (eds.) Audiovisual Translation and Media Accessibility at the Crossroads. Media for All 3, pp. 43–59. Rodopi, Amsterdam, New York (2012)
Accessible Games. https://accessible.games. Accessed 02 Feb 2021
Yuan, B., Folmer, E., Harris, F.C.: Game accessibility: a survey. Univ. Access Inf. Soc. 10, 81–100 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10209-010-0189-5
Bierre, K. Game Accessibility. Gamasutra, 6 July 2005. https://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/130754/improving_game_accessibility.php. Accessed 02 Feb 2021
Can I Play That? https://caniplaythat.com. Accessed 02 Feb 2021
Game Accessibility Guidelines. http://gameaccessibilityguidelines.com/basic/. Accessed 02 Feb 2021
Microsoft. Xbox Accessibility Guidelines. https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/gaming/accessibility/guidelines. Accessed 04 Feb 2021
Microsoft Xbox Adaptive Controller. https://www.xbox.com/en-US/accessories/controllers/xbox-adaptive-controller. Accessed 04 Feb 2021
Fisher, C. Microsoft designs an Xbox controller with Braille. Engadget. July 07, 2019. https://www.engadget.com/2019/05/07/microsoft-patent-braille-controller/. Accessed 04 Feb 2021
Molloy, D., Carter, P. Last of Us Part II: Is this the most accessible game ever? BBC News, June 20 (2020). https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-53093613. Accessed 04 Feb 2021
Bayliss, B. The Last of Us Part II Accessibility Consultants — Advancing the Industry. Can I Play That?, 23 June 2020. https://caniplaythat.com/2020/06/23/the-last-of-us-2-accessibility-consultants-advancing-the-industry/. Accessed 04 Feb 2021
PlayStation. Accessibility options for The Last of Us II. https://www.playstation.com/en-us/games/the-last-of-us-part-ii/accessibility/. Accessed 04 Feb 2021
Wald, H.: How audio description within games could make them more accessible for blind and low vision players. Games Radar, 20 October 2020. https://www.gamesradar.com/how-audio-description-within-games-could-make-them-more-accessible-for-blind-and-low-vision-players/. Accessed 04 Feb 2021
Evarts, H.: For Blind Gamers, Equal Access to Racing Video Games. Columbia Engineering. 6 March 2018. https://engineering.columbia.edu/press-releases/rad-blind-video-games. Accessed 04 Feb 2021
Gameography
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla (Ubisoft, 2020)
The Last of Us II (Naughty Dog, 2020)
The Sims (Electronic Arts, 2000-present)
Acknowledgements
This work is supported by the Researching Audio Description project (PGC2018–096566-B-I00, MICIU/AEI, FEDER, UE), awarded by the Spanish Government, the EU project EASIT (2018–1-ES01-KA203–05275) and the project 2017SGR113, funded by the Generalitat de Catalunya.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2021 Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this paper
Cite this paper
Mangiron, C. (2021). Game Accessibility: Taking Inclusion to the Next Level. In: Antona, M., Stephanidis, C. (eds) Universal Access in Human-Computer Interaction. Design Methods and User Experience. HCII 2021. Lecture Notes in Computer Science(), vol 12768. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-78092-0_17
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-78092-0_17
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-030-78091-3
Online ISBN: 978-3-030-78092-0
eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)