Why developers are designing video games for accessibility
Why developers are designing video games for accessibility
Why developers are designing video games for accessibility
By Justin Stabley
May 11, 2023
Summary
Now mainstream developers are leveling up - increasingly considering accessibility when designing their games, whether to accommodate a visual impairment, a motor control issue or an anxiety disorder.
"A lot more people want to play games and we want people to play games."
The game, developed by Naughty Dog, "Undeniably brought conversations around gaming accessibility to a mainstream audience" by becoming a "Big budget example of a video game that not only went above and beyond in a lot of regards, but got big praise for it during end-of-year awards."
As production went along, software developers and video game fans from that community became integral to the project.
He's just one of the most recent developers to join a small community of engineers building games for blind people, a community largely under the radar of the mainstream industry.
Video games are an especially immersive medium, offering both challenges and opportunities for mental health concerns.
"One of the amazing things about video games specifically is that they really allow you to step into a world that you just couldn't access through any other medium," said Dr. Kelli Dunlap, community director for Take This, a mental health advocacy organization, which provides tools and resources to video game companies.
Reference
Stabley, J. (2023, May 11). Why developers are designing video games for Accessibility. PBS. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/arts/why-developers-are-designing-video-games-for-accessibility