With Control due to be released next year, it felt like the perfect time to talk about accessibility and making our hobby more inclusive, especially as this time of year we hear more about consoles than usual.
Video games are still a relatively new medium and as such the
progression to make it accessible to more people has been a slow
transformation. Lately the topic has received more attention and as a
result more and more companies are dedicating themselves to creating
peripherals to allow controllers, analogue sticks, and keyboards to be
more user-friendly for gamers with disabilities.
After being announced in May of this year, Microsoft has recently launched their XBOX Adaptive Controller,
for gamers with limited mobility. The controller's slim frame, about a
foot in length, features two large pads that can be mapped to any key or
buttons allowing it to be tailored to the gamer's needs. The new
controller has a series of 3.5mm jacks and USB ports allowing for
additional peripherals to be added to expand the usability. The Adaptive
Controller is compatible with XBOX One consoles and Windows 10. The
downside to the device is that it can be a little pricey at £75 for the
base model, and that's without additional attachments, but worth it if
it's something that would help make gaming easier. For reference, new XBOX One controllers (which originally comes with the console) can be in the price range of £40.
The XBOX Adaptive Controller have recently been named as one of Time's Best Inventions of 2018.
Organisations such as SpecialEffects and The Able Gamers Charity also help make gaming more inclusive too!
Special Effects
is a UK-based company which works with individuals to create tailored set
ups according to their needs. They make rigs for game titles with
simple controls all the way to intense gameplay. On their site, they describe how they help gamers; "our support is always
tailored to your abilities rather than the condition you have, so
depending on what's required, a visit to our Games Room in Oxfordshire
with its suite of accessible gaming consoles and computers may be a
suitable way to see what works for you. We can also visit you at home if
your disability limits your ability to travel. Our assessors know their
games and adapted technology inside out, and our occupational
therapists make sure that that the positioning and mounting will be
right for any tech or modifications we recommend."
The Able Gamers
is another charity, working to build technology and rigs to allow
greater comfort and exclusivity in games. This organization is based in
Washington and works with gamers in the US. Similar to Special Effects,
the company has a space called the Center for Game Accessibility
and Inclusive Play (located in Charles Town, WV) which helps the company
to have a greater understand of what technology is best suited to the
clients needs. Grants for special equipment can be applied for on their
website, easing financial concern.
There are also a
number of individuals and local businesses worldwide that work to bring gaming to
everyone, so if you haven't found the perfect solution here, I encourage
you to look at what is available in your area and also online
services.
2nd December 2018
Making Gaming More Inclusive: Companies & Controllers
[Advent Calendar 2018]
