Crystal Dynamics wants everyone to feel like a superhero in Marvel's Avengers, and they're implementing features to ensure players with disabilities never feel left out.
In a new interview on publisher Square Enix's site, Senior Community Manager Meagan Marie and Game Designer Mariah Robinson talk about all the different ways Crystal Dynamics is making Marvel's Avengers as accessible as possible to everyone.
"The fantasy of being a Super Hero is universal, so options that allow players to customize their experience to fit specific needs and playstyles means we can share our vision with even more fans," Marie said.
Kicking off the initiative, the studio assembled a task force made up of industry experts including accessibility specialist Cherry Thompson. In addition to giving early feedback on the game, Thompson also did motion capture in their wheelchair to make her character's idle movements appear more natural. This was in-part to help people with disabilities feel represented in Marvel's Avengers.
As for specific examples of accessibility features in-game, Marie cited a few examples in the interview but said the complete list of features is still growing and won't be revealed until a later date. That said, the developer explained that a high-contrast UI feature "makes [the game] easier to navigate for low-vision users or people who find some interfaces distracting and difficult to use."
Other accessibility features include, but aren't limited to, "fully remappable controls, character-associated subtitles, campaign-relevant closed captions, and HARM Training Rooms," said Robinson.
As mentioned earlier, the mission to make Marvel's Avengers as inclusive and accessible is far from over - Crystal Dynamics is prepared to continue implementing new features even after launch. The studio even has a dedicated email address - accessibility@crystald.com - open for suggestions from players on how to improve accessibility and representation in Marvel's Avengers.
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