Game Publishers Making Accessible Games for the Blind (part 2)

As the gaming industry grows, more game publishers are working to make games that blind and visually impaired players can enjoy. This commitment to including everyone is changing how games are made and played. In this second part of our look at accessible gaming, we explore the new strategies and technologies publishers use to make sure their games are fun for everyone. From better audio cues to easy-to-use controls, we show how these efforts deeply impact the gaming community and set new standards for making games accessible to all. Join us as we continue to see how game publishers are making gaming a universal experience.

1. Blizzard Entertainment

Blizzard Entertainment is a leading company in the gaming industry, famous for creating some of the most iconic and beloved games in different genres. Blizzard focuses on community and inclusivity, working hard to make their games accessible to players with disabilities, including those who are blind or visually impaired. Their commitment to accessibility means everyone can enjoy the rich and immersive worlds they create. Blizzard Entertainment is dedicated to adding accessibility features that improve the gaming experience for all players. They collaborate with accessibility experts and the community to find and add features that meet the needs of blind and visually impaired gamers. This commitment shows in the careful design and ongoing improvement of their games.

World of Warcraft

“World of Warcraft” (WoW) is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) that leads in accessibility within its genre.

Key Features:

Text-to-Speech: Changes in-game text, including quest descriptions and chat, to audio, helping blind players interact with the game world.
Audio Cues: Provides sound indicators for important game mechanics, like combat alerts and navigation aids.
UI Customization: Allows extensive changes to the user interface, letting players adjust visuals and layouts to their needs.

Overwatch

Blizzard’s popular team-based shooter, “Overwatch,” includes several features to improve accessibility for blind and visually impaired players.

Key Features:

Narrated Menus: Provides text-to-speech for navigating game menus and settings.
Haptic Feedback: Uses vibrations to signal different in-game events, such as taking damage or capturing objectives.
High Contrast Mode: Changes visual elements to enhance clarity and distinguish between characters and environments.

Diablo III

The action RPG “Diablo III” has various accessibility options to support blind players.

Key Features:

Audio Descriptions: Gives audio feedback for in-game actions and notifications, helping players understand their surroundings and objectives.
Simplified Controls: Allows players to customize and simplify control schemes, making the game more accessible.
High Contrast and Larger Text: Improves the readability of text and the visibility of important game elements.

2. Nintendo

Nintendo, a global leader in the gaming industry, is famous for its innovative and beloved games that attract players of all ages. Recently, Nintendo has worked hard to make its games more accessible, helping players with disabilities, including those who are blind or visually impaired, enjoy their immersive and engaging experiences. Nintendo is committed to accessibility and includes features to improve the gaming experience for all players. They focus on creating inclusive game designs and collaborate with the accessibility community to ensure their games meet a wide range of needs.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

This open-world adventure game offers various accessibility features to help blind and visually impaired players.

Key Features:

Audio Cues: Provides sound indicators for key in-game actions like finding enemies, interacting with objects, and navigating.
High Contrast Mode: Improves visual clarity by changing colors to highlight important elements.
Adjustable Text Size: Lets players increase the size of in-game text for better readability.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons

A life simulation game that includes several accessibility options for blind players.

Key Features:

Text-to-Speech: Turns in-game text into audio, aiding players in navigating menus and interacting with the game world.
Vibration Feedback: Uses the controller’s vibration to signal different in-game activities like catching fish or getting notifications.
Customizable Controls: Allows players to remap buttons and adjust control schemes to fit their preferences.

Super Mario Odyssey

This 3D platformer has features that improve accessibility for blind and visually impaired players.

Key Features:

Assist Mode: Provides extra guidance and navigation aids, making it easier for players to explore levels and progress through the game.
High Contrast and Larger Text: Enhances visibility of important game elements and increases text size for better readability.
Detailed Audio Descriptions: Offers sound cues and audio feedback for various in-game actions and environmental changes.

3. Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment

Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment creates and publishes a wide range of high-quality video games. They are committed to inclusivity and have worked hard to make their games accessible to players with disabilities, including those who are blind or visually impaired. Their focus on accessibility ensures that more people can enjoy their immersive and engaging games. Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment is committed to adding accessibility features that improve the gaming experience for all players. They work with accessibility experts and the gaming community to create features that meet the needs of blind and visually impaired gamers, ensuring inclusivity in their game design and development.

Mortal Kombat 11

This popular fighting game includes several accessibility features designed to support blind and visually impaired players.

Key Features:

Narrated Menus: Provides text-to-speech functionality for menu navigation, assisting players in selecting options and settings.
Audio Cues: Uses sound indicators for various in-game actions and events, such as special moves and health status.
Customizable Controls: Allows players to remap buttons and inputs to suit their preferences and needs.

Middle-earth: Shadow of War

An action RPG set in J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth, “Shadow of War” offers various accessibility options to enhance the gaming experience for blind players.

Key Features:

Text-to-Speech: Converts on-screen text to audio, facilitating navigation of menus and understanding game dialogues.
High Contrast Mode: Enhances visual clarity by adjusting the color scheme to make important elements more distinguishable.
Audio Feedback: Provides sound cues for important in-game actions and environmental changes, aiding in navigation and gameplay.

LEGO Marvel Super Heroes 2

This action-adventure game includes accessibility features aimed at making the game more inclusive for blind players.

Key Features:

Narrated Tutorials and Menus: Offers audio narration for tutorials and menu options, helping players understand game mechanics and navigate settings.
Vibration Feedback: Uses controller vibrations to indicate in-game events, such as hitting enemies or finding hidden items.
Simplified Controls: Provides the option to customize and simplify control schemes to accommodate different play styles.

4. Focus Entertainment

Focus Entertainment, a well-known video game publisher with diverse and innovative titles, is dedicated to making gaming accessible to everyone, including players who are blind or visually impaired. By adding accessibility features to their games, Focus Entertainment ensures that all players can enjoy their rich, immersive experiences. The company strongly emphasizes inclusivity and works hard to add features that enhance accessibility for blind and visually impaired gamers. Focus Entertainment works with accessibility experts and the gaming community to understand and meet the needs of all players.

A Plague Tale: Innocence

This action-adventure game set in medieval France includes several features to make the game more accessible to blind players.

Key Features:

Audio Cues: Provides sound indicators for key in-game actions like approaching enemies, interactive objects, and navigation hints.
Narrated Menus: Offers text-to-speech for menu navigation, helping players understand and choose options.
High Contrast Mode: Changes visual presentation to highlight key elements.

GreedFall

An action RPG that includes various accessibility options to support blind and visually impaired players.

Key Features:

Text-to-Speech: Turns on-screen text into audio, aiding in menu navigation and understanding game dialogues.
Customizable Controls: Lets players change buttons and inputs to fit their preferences and needs.
Audio Descriptions: Gives detailed audio feedback for in-game events and interactions.

Vampyr

This action RPG set in early 20th-century London has features to improve accessibility for blind players.

Key Features:

Narrated Tutorials and Menus: Uses text-to-speech to help players navigate tutorials and menus, making sure they understand game mechanics and settings.
Vibration Feedback: Uses controller vibrations to signal various in-game events like combat actions and notifications.
High Contrast and Larger Text: Enhances the readability of text and the visibility of key game elements.

5. Epic Games

Epic Games, a leading video game developer and publisher known for titles like Fortnite and the Unreal Engine, works hard to make their games accessible to players with disabilities, including those who are blind or visually impaired. By adding innovative accessibility features, Epic Games aims to create inclusive gaming experiences for everyone. Their commitment to accessibility shows in their active approach to adding features that improve the gaming experience for blind and visually impaired players. They work with accessibility experts and the gaming community to find and apply solutions that make their games more inclusive.

Fortnite

The popular battle royale game “Fortnite” includes a variety of accessibility features to support blind and visually impaired players.

Key Features:

Visual and Audio Cues: Provides sound indicators and visual markers for in-game events like nearby enemies, item pickups, and building actions.
Customizable Controls: Lets players change buttons and adjust control schemes to fit their preferences and needs.
Text-to-Speech: Turns chat and menu text into speech, helping with communication and navigation.

Rocket League

Although developed by Psyonix, a subsidiary of Epic Games, “Rocket League” includes several accessibility options for blind players.

Key Features:

Audio Cues: Uses sound to indicate the ball’s position, proximity to the goal, and other important game events.
Controller Vibration Feedback: Gives tactile feedback for in-game actions like collisions and scoring goals.
Customizable Controls and Visual Aids: Lets players adjust control schemes and enhance visual clarity.

Expanding Horizons

As we finish our look at how game publishers are making their games accessible for blind and visually impaired players, it’s clear that these efforts do more than just broaden gaming’s reach; they also improve many lives. By using innovative audio cues, easy-to-use controls, and ongoing feedback from the community, these publishers are leading the way to a more inclusive gaming world. This journey toward accessibility shows how technology and empathy can create experiences everyone can enjoy. As the industry progresses, the dedication of these publishers to inclusivity will likely lead to even more exciting and accessible gaming options for everyone.