As video games become more popular across the world, Xbox has stepped up as a leader in making gaming possible for people with disabilities. A new article titled “The Future of Game Accessibility on Xbox” outlines adjustments to developer accessibility guidelines and Microsoft’s vision of a future where all gamers can play together.
Back in 2018, Microsoft revealed the Xbox Adaptive Controller, which feature programmable buttons and could work with every single Xbox game. It carried a hefty price tag, but the controller set a new bar for accessibility and customization for non-standard gaming. The industry took notice; accessibility options in games have been on the rise, possibly thanks to the work of the Microsoft Gaming Accessibility (MGA) team.
In a recent press release, the MGA team reaffirms that accessibility remains a top priority to Xbox and hopes to help developers improve as well. In January of last year, the team published the Xbox Accessibility Guidelines (XAG) as a resource for game studios to reference while building its experiences. This latest update details several adjustments made to the guidelines, including the addition of a clear “goals” section, images and videos clarifying harder guidelines, and questions to help developers prioritize accessibility options.
Thanks to the work of MGA and other groups, the industry has emphasized inclusion on every level in the last few years. From more nuanced character creation to respectful depictions of diverse minority groups, the industry is making a serious effort to help everyone feel included and connected as part of a global gaming community. This has become a major point in gaming’s biggest award show, the Game Awards.
In 2020, The Game Awards added a new “Innovation in Accessibility” award to highlight games that go the extra mile in helping all gamers enjoy the product. The first game to take home this honor was Naughty Dog’s The Last of Us 2, which dominated more Game of the Year lists than any other game in video game history. The Last of Us 2’s accessibility menu included many tweakable options to difficulty, visibility, controls, and world navigation.
The MGA team concedes that a lot of work is left to do; according to the Entertainment Software Association, there are nearly 46 million gamers with disabilities in the U.S. alone. Xbox has made great strides in making their products accessible to gamers at every stage, from opening the packaging to playing the game itself. Despite the challenge, the MGA team will continue to take feedback from the community in a quest to fulfill the dream with a promise: “when everyone plays, we all win.”
Source: Xbox Wire
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