How Xbox is advancing game accessibility on the platform, and hopefully across the industry

October marks the first anniversary of the release of the current generation of consoles by Microsoft and Sony. The Xbox Series X / S and PS5 come with powerful new hardware, as well as a library of titles that benefit from special features such as faster loading speeds, quick resumes, and DualSense tactile sensations. The new system opens up the possibility of innovating not only by making games faster and more tactile, but equally importantly, by making them more accessible.

Even before the launch of the Xbox Series X and S, Xbox has made a special effort to make accessibility advances part of its mission. From the launch of the Xbox Adaptive Controller to some new accessibility updates and features on the system Recently announced During October’s Disability Awareness Month, Xbox is building an accessible game package that will attract many disabled players. Xbox accessibility leaders talk to IGN to achieve the company’s journey to build a more accessible platform, the work to be done to make all games more accessible, and its future. He talked about his expectations for better cooperation across the industry.

Xbox accessibility evolution

Accessibility in first-party studios isn’t new, as the system includes console-wide accessibility as early as 2015. Still, with the exception of the latest Xbox updates and announcements, progress is relatively advanced. Both PlayStation and Xbox allow players to fully customize their controls regardless of the input of a particular game. However, these customization options existed in previous generations and have changed little since the first release. Nintendo Switch takes this feature one step further with five custom controller profiles for each official Nintendo controller. Other notable accessibility options included at the hardware level, or present in most games, are zooming, text-to-speech, and the ability to reduce screen movement and movement. However, Xbox is creating new features that help distinguish accessibility from its competitors, and hopefully encourages the industry as a whole to find new ways to innovate.

Xbox Anita Mortaloni, Director of Accessibility, talks to IGN, focusing on the progressive evolution of accessibility, especially in the console.

Notable advances in accessibility in 2020

Official post by Xbox, The store page now shows the accessibility features that exist in the game. Tags such as “Narrated Game Menu, Subtitle Options, Input Remapping, Full Keyboard Support, Single Stick Gameplay” are a brief overview of what is expected to help disabled players notify their purchase decisions. Provide. Currently, there are only 20 tags, but Xbox plans to incorporate feature tags into a more comprehensive system to get feedback from players and developers with disabilities.

“The number one question we continue to ask is,’Which game can we play?’” Said Mortaloni. “We wanted to make it easy for gamers to find the next game they liked and could play. In addition to the fact that it was frustrating to have to do all that research in the first place, we bought the game. I don’t want to download or download it. In minutes or seconds I find that I can’t play the game. “

The ability to check features is useful beyond the start time of the game. Players with disabilities often struggle to complete encounters with sections or bosses, well beyond the rare refund request period offered by some platforms. Mortaloni says that people with disabilities “… through 99%, [only to] You can see that the last boss battle cannot be ended due to the lack of functionality. “

Feature tags are a great way to inform consumers with disabilities about potential barriers and their accessible solutions, but they still do not give disabled players the ability to play more games. Currently, the Xbox Adaptive Controller is the only first-party development technology available, deliberately created to assist people with disabilities. Still, the device, famous for its tagline “When everyone plays, everyone wins,” benefits primarily for people with movement disorders. This is only a fraction of the total number of obstacles that exist. Adaptive controllers are a great technology for people with disabilities who have limited reach or limited motor function. However, for gamers with poor eyesight, limited vision, or hearing loss, there is room to create more options rather than existing as an adaptive controller. that’s all A hardware focus that enhances accessibility. And that’s a problem that the Xbox seems to be keenly aware of.

“The number one question we continue to ask is,’Which game can I play?'”

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Accessibility Lead for Xbox Game Studios, and Game and Disability Lead Tara Voelker states that we need to continue to seek out and develop accessible technologies for players with disabilities beyond movement disorders.

“Xbox has taken the first step towards improving accessibility beyond Adaptive Controller by incorporating our learning into other products,” Voelker said. “Looking at the Xbox Series X | S controllers, we’ve worked together to expand to more people by adjusting size and ergonomics. There’s still a lot to think about in the future. Xbox Adaptive Controller is a product developed to meet the needs of specific gamers affected by specific motor disabilities. To really improve our technology, look at gamers who haven’t met their needs yet. You need to ask why. Once you understand the challenges these gamers face, you can try to solve them by creating new and innovative products. “

Wish for Xbox industry-wide inclusion

The lack of technology available to individuals other than people with movement disorders on the Xbox indicates a bigger problem for the industry as a whole. The need for a comprehensive device such as a controller. While the Xbox Adaptive Controller is very useful for people with disabilities, there is one problem that it and other Xbox accessibility advances can specifically handle.

The Adaptive Controller is the only accessible first-party controller on the market and works only on Microsoft systems. Very popular switches offer some controllers and the ability to place them in their own way, but you can’t change the layout of the buttons and the strength required to press them. Also, PlayStation games created exclusively for PS5 can only be played on Dual Sense. Until other companies in the industry design accessible controllers, Xbox and Windows are the only platforms that provide controllers for people with a variety of movement disorders. Also, while third-party workarounds exist, there is no uniformly agreed technology, so quality consistency and depth of use can vary significantly from controller to controller.

EA Accessibility Patent Pledges Screenshot Example

One way to mitigate these inconsistencies and provide more console open and accessible controller options is for companies to start collaborating and sharing their knowledge bases. This is not a direct comparison, but games published on Xbox such as Minecraft, Psychonauts 2 are available on other companies’ platforms, and the characters owned by Xbox have appeared in Super Smash Brothers Ultimate, and the company is very For PlayStation, Xbox and Nintendo, we’re starting to shave the walls we usually think of.

“We want the gaming industry to form a partnership to enable accessible technology on more platforms while minimizing player effort,” Voelker said. “We want to create a world where gamers can choose the controller that suits them (Xbox Adaptive Controller, HORI Flex, or any other choice) and use it to play wherever they want. I want you to find ways to reduce the cost of assistive technologies so that more people can get the best gaming experience. “

Wanting an accessible partnership across multiple studios, Voelker highlights one of the ultimate barriers faced by people with disabilities when playing console games: monopoly. Accessible features can be universally incorporated into platforms such as subtitles, remapping controls, and color blindness filters, but the technology behind these features remains exclusive or on a particular platform. It is built in individually. Also, if you have only one controller accessible to the first party, you have only one option left for people with movement disorders.

“I don’t think we need competition to drive accessibility innovation,” said Anita Mortaloni. “Accessibility is one of those areas [where] 1 + 1 = 3. Yes, we can all do a lot of things completely individually, but when we get together, partner and share ideas, whether it’s between companies or with the community, we You can do more and make a big step forward in the industry. “

Innovation is commonplace in the gaming industry. As the studio continues to develop powerful new systems, the technology that complements the new game will surely continue. Still, there is still a lack of software and hardware specifically designed to assist people with disabilities in the face of unnecessary and unintended gameplay barriers. The gaming industry cannot be truly inclusive until more obstacles are represented by better console accessibility and some of the technologies. Xbox’s commitment to providing ongoing support to players with disabilities shows that the industry wants to change. Also, as Mortaloni points out, we need industry-wide collaboration for accessibility, and hopefully the Xbox focus can encourage others to follow in its footsteps.

“There is no benefit to keeping it alone. When more people know it, understand it, and include it, we all win …”

Grant Stoner is a freelance writer for IGN.You can find him twitter..