Global Accessibility Awareness Day
The third Thursday of May, with the purpose of helping spread the word of accessibility design options for digital media.
Accessibility Overview
Accessibility in Game Design Overview
Section titled “Accessibility in Game Design Overview”What Accessibility Means in Game Design
Section titled “What Accessibility Means in Game Design”This module will discover what accessibility means in game design. The process breaks down how games are designed for those with vision, hearing, or physical disabilities.
It provides examples on how these accessibility features often improve the experience for all players and not just those who are disabled.
Early Testing is Critical
Section titled “Early Testing is Critical”Involving individuals with these disabilities in early testing is imperative to confirm what is working or not working.
Testing Timeline
Section titled “Testing Timeline”When planning features for accessibility, make sure to invite individuals with these conditions during:
- Pre-Alpha stages
- Alpha stages
- Beta stages
Waiting till the launch of a game can often leave disabled players frustrated that key features are not implemented or working at all.
First-Time Setup Importance
Section titled “First-Time Setup Importance”It’s also a good idea to prompt accessibility features when a game starts up for the first time. This way, players can customize their experience before having to navigate through difficult menus to find options they’re looking for.
Key Resources for Accessibility Information
Section titled “Key Resources for Accessibility Information”CDC Info Graph
Many statistics on how many people are affected by disabilities.
Douglas Pennant GDC Talks
Series of talks regarding color blindness with detailed breakdown of the main problems.
Arlynn School
Broad overview of accessibility design in games today.
Additional Resources
Section titled “Additional Resources”Game Accessibility Guidelines: gameaccessibilityguidelines.com provides a breakdown of potential features to add to your game.
Unreal Engine Documentation: Has documentation on designing for accessibility. You can also search the Unreal Engine YouTube channel for accessibility to find past live streams on the topic.
Industry Leader Example
Section titled “Industry Leader Example”The Last of Us Part 2
A clear leader in accessibility design. They’ve detailed a breakdown of its included features where other developers can examine what they’ve done.
Universal Design Philosophy
Section titled “Universal Design Philosophy”A recurring theme in accessibility is that features designed for disabilities often improve the experience for everyone. What starts as accommodation becomes enhancement for the broader player base.
This approach not only serves the moral imperative to create inclusive games but also expands your potential audience and improves overall user experience quality.
The goal is to create games that are welcoming and playable for as many people as possible, regardless of their physical abilities or limitations.