Accessibility has come a long way in recent years, and nowhere is this more apparent than in the world of gaming. It's a hobby that can be difficult at the best of times for even able-bodied players - git gud, etc - but for those with physical impairments, even the simple things, like using a controller or reading screen text, can be a challenge.
But things are changing, and nowhere can that be seen more than video games. According to gaming and accessibility journalist, Laura Kate Dale, "we've got the technology for more games to be more playable by more groups of people. It just feels sensible to make as many games as we can as playable by as many people as we can". Disabled gamers have a wealth of options now to help them play. From game settings to controllers and more - accessibility has never been… well, more accessible.
From a hardware perspective both PlayStation and Xbox have designed specific controllers to make gaming easier for all, like the PS5 Access Controller or the Xbox Adaptive Controller, both available at the EE Store separately, or in a Sony PlayStation5 Slim Accessibility bundle or Xbox Series X 1TB Console bundle with Xbox Adaptive Controller. "The more of these accessible controllers exist the more people can find a set up that works for them, and is comfortable and pain free," explains Dale.
Both controllers feature an array of design features to make gaming easier. The PS5 Access Controller, for example, features a highly customisable layout that you can change around to suit your needs. While the Xbox Adaptive Controller is designed for gamers with limited mobility and works with a range of external switches, buttons, and joysticks which are sold separately.
As well as the controllers, the hardware itself has more help baked in than ever: "Consoles on the EE store have become more accessible in recent years by shipping with a variety of accessibility settings on first boot," says Dale. That's then backed up by the games. This generation has been marked by a huge increase of accessibility options for things like text size or high contrast modes for the visually impaired. While it varies from game to game, more and more settings are being standardised to help disabled gamers, such as combat, button and gameplay modifiers that can fine tune an experience for any skill level.
"I think that accessibility in gaming is in a really exciting place right now," explains Dale. "I just want more people to love the art form I love. It's something everyone should get to access and accessible tech is helping that to be more of a reality".
