ESA Launches Initiative for Game Accessibility Details

The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) has launched the Accessible Games Initiative, a groundbreaking "tag" system designed to enhance video game accessibility for consumers. Unveiled at the Game Developers Conference, this initiative is the result of collaboration among industry giants including Electronic Arts, Google, Microsoft, Nintendo, Sony, and Ubisoft, with additional support from Amazon, Riot Games, Square Enix, and WB Games. The ESA will oversee the management of this initiative.

Under this initiative, participating companies will categorize their games using a set of 24 specific accessibility tags. These tags will be prominently displayed alongside game information on digital storefronts and product pages, making it easier for gamers to identify games that meet their accessibility needs. Tags include features such as "clear text," "large and clear subtitles," "narrated menus," "stick inversion," "save anytime," "difficulty levels," and "playable without button holds," among others.

Stanley Pierre-Louis, ESA's president and CEO, emphasized the significance of this initiative, stating, "Tens of millions of Americans have a disability and often face barriers to experiencing the joy and connection that comes with playing video games. We are immensely proud to announce the Accessible Games Initiative in partnership with industry leaders. This initiative demonstrates how impactful we can be when we work together in our industry-wide pursuit of helping more people experience the power of play."

The rollout of these tags will be gradual, implemented on a company-by-company basis, and initially available only in English. The system is not mandatory, allowing flexibility for game developers. Over time, the ESA may introduce new tags or refine existing ones to further improve accessibility.

Accessible Games Initiative Tags:

Auditory Features

Tag: Multiple Volume Controls

Description: Separate volume controls are available for different types of sounds, allowing players to adjust the volume of music, speech, sound effects, background audio, text-to-speech audio, accessibility audio cues, and voice chat individually. Additionally, a single volume control can adjust all game sounds simultaneously.

Tag: Mono Sound

Description: This feature enables players to experience the game with mono audio, where the same sound is sent to all audio channels, providing a single, combined audio channel for a more unified listening experience.

Tag: Stereo Sound

Description: Players can enjoy the game with stereo audio, which differentiates sounds based on their left or right origin, enhancing spatial awareness within the game.

Tag: Surround Sound

Description: This tag indicates that the game supports surround sound, allowing sounds to convey their directional origin in all dimensions, offering an immersive audio experience.

Tag: Narrated Menus

Description: This feature allows the use of screen readers or voice narration for navigating menus and receiving notifications. Players can control interactions and context changes, which are announced through narration, facilitating easier navigation without the need for cursor movement.

Tag: Chat Speech-to-Text & Text-to-Speech

Description: Enables the use of text-to-speech and speech-to-text for in-game chats, allowing text chats to be read aloud and voice chats to be displayed as text transcripts in real-time, combining both auditory and visual accessibility features.

Gameplay Features

Tag: Difficulty Levels

Description: Players can choose from various difficulty settings, including options that lessen the challenge intensity. The differences between levels are clearly described, allowing players to select a level that suits their skill and comfort.

Tag: Save Anytime

Description: This feature permits manual saving at any point during gameplay, except during save/load processes or scenarios where saving could result in game-breaking issues or blocked progress.

Input Features

Tag: Basic Input Remapping

Description: Allows players to rearrange button controls, either by swapping or other methods. This differs from "Full Input Remapping," which includes remapping all game controls across various input methods.

Tag: Full Input Remapping

Description: Players can customize which game action is assigned to which control across all supported input methods, including keyboard, mouse, controllers, and virtual on-screen controllers, with the option to swap controller stick functionality.

Tag: Stick Inversion

Description: This feature allows players to invert the direction of movement controls such as thumbsticks, affecting how the game responds to up, down, left, and right inputs.

Tag: Playable without Button Holds

Description: Enables gameplay without the need to hold digital inputs like keys or buttons, although some analog inputs may still require holding.

Tag: Playable without Rapid Button Presses

Description: This tag indicates that the game can be played without requiring repetitive button actions, such as button mashing or quick-time events.

Tag: Playable with Keyboard Only

Description: The game can be fully played using just a keyboard, eliminating the need for other input devices.

Tag: Playable with Mouse Only

Description: Allows the game to be played solely with a mouse, including compatibility with adaptive technology that mimics mouse inputs.

Tag: Playable with Buttons Only

Description: Players can control the game and navigate menus using only digital inputs like buttons or keys, where the pressure applied does not affect the control.

Tag: Playable with Touch Only

Description: This feature enables gameplay using only touch controls, without the need for non-touch inputs like buttons or analog sticks.

Tag: Playable Without Motion Controls

Description: Indicates that the game can be played without requiring motion control inputs.

Tag: Playable Without Touch Controls

Description: Allows gameplay without the use of touchpads or touchscreens, catering to players who prefer other input methods.

Visual Features

Tag: Chat Speech-to-Text & Text-to-Speech

Description: This tag, also listed under auditory features, supports real-time narration of text chats and text transcripts of voice chats, enhancing accessibility for both visual and auditory needs.

Tag: Clear Text

Description: Ensures that text in menus, control panels, and settings is displayed at a reasonable size with adjustable contrast, using less stylized fonts or options for font change.

Tag: Large Text

Description: Allows for the use of larger font sizes in menus, control panels, and settings, improving readability for players with visual impairments.

Tag: Large & Clear Subtitles

Description: Provides subtitles for all dialogue, ensuring they are at a reasonable size, with adjustable background transparency, and do not overlap important game elements. Less stylized fonts or font options are available.

Tag: Color Alternatives

Description: Ensures that important information is not solely communicated through color. Instead, shape, pattern, icons, or text are used, with options to adjust color settings.

Tag: Camera Comfort

Description: This feature addresses potential discomfort from camera effects like shaking, swaying, or motion blur by allowing players to turn off or adjust these effects, promoting a more comfortable gaming experience.