ESA Launches Initiative for Game Accessibility Details

The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) has recently unveiled the Accessible Games Initiative, a groundbreaking "tag" system designed to enhance video game accessibility for consumers. This initiative was launched at the Game Developers Conference and is the result of a collaborative effort involving major industry players such as Electronic Arts, Google, Microsoft, Nintendo, Sony, and Ubisoft. Additional companies like Amazon, Riot Games, Square Enix, and WB Games have also joined the initiative, which will be overseen by the ESA.

Under this initiative, participating game developers will utilize a set of 24 standardized tags to highlight the accessibility features of their games. These tags will be prominently displayed alongside game information on digital storefronts and product pages, making it easier for consumers to identify games that cater to their specific accessibility needs.

The Accessible Games Initiative includes tags that cover a wide range of features, such as "clear text," "large and clear subtitles," "narrated menus," "stick inversion," "save anytime," "difficulty levels," "playable without button holds," and many more. These tags aim to help gamers with disabilities find games that are more inclusive and enjoyable for them.

Stanley Pierre-Louis, the president and CEO of ESA, emphasized the importance 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. Over time, the initiative may evolve to include additional tags or modifications to existing ones, ensuring that it remains responsive to the needs of the gaming community.

Below are the detailed descriptions of the tags included in the Accessible Games Initiative:

Auditory Features

Tag: Multiple Volume Controls

Description: Separate volume controls are available for different types of sounds. You can adjust the volume for music, speech, sound effects, background audio, text-to-speech audio, accessibility audio cues, and voice chat. Additionally, all game sounds can be changed simultaneously using one volume control.

Tag: Mono Sound

Description: This feature allows you to play with mono audio, where the same audio is sent to all channels, such as both left and right headphones, creating a single, combined audio channel.

Tag: Stereo Sound

Description: This tag indicates that the game supports stereo audio, where sounds communicate their left or right origin but do not indicate if they are coming from above, below, ahead, or behind.

Tag: Surround Sound

Description: The game supports surround sound, allowing sounds to communicate their origin from any direction.

Tag: Narrated Menus

Description: This feature enables the use of screen readers or voice narration for menus and notifications. All menus can be accessed by screen readers, or the game provides similar functionality. Interactions and context changes are controlled by the player and announced through narration. You can navigate menus one item at a time, without needing to steer a cursor.

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

Description: This tag allows the use of text-to-speech and speech-to-text for game chats with other players. Text chats can be narrated out loud in real-time, and voice chats can be read as a text transcript in real-time. This tag encompasses both auditory and visual features.

Gameplay Features

Tag: Difficulty Levels

Description: Players can select from multiple difficulty options, including at least one option that reduces the intensity of challenges. The differences between difficulty levels are clearly described.

Tag: Save Anytime

Description: Players can manually save their progress at any time, except during game-saving or loading, or when saving could result in game-breaking scenarios or blocked progress, such as during death animations.

Input Features

Tag: Basic Input Remapping

Description: This feature allows players to rearrange the button controls. Buttons can be swapped or rearranged by other methods. The "Full Input Remapping" tag offers more comprehensive control remapping.

Tag: Full Input Remapping

Description: Players can choose which action in the game is assigned to which control. All game controls can be remapped for all directly supported input methods, including keyboard, mouse, controllers, and virtual on-screen controllers. Controller stick functionality can also be swapped.

Tag: Stick Inversion

Description: This feature lets players change how direction inputs, such as thumbsticks, affect game movement in the up and down and left and right directions.

Tag: Playable without Button Holds

Description: The game can be played without requiring digital inputs (like keys or buttons) to be held. Some analog inputs (like sticks and triggers) may still require holds.

Tag: Playable without Rapid Button Presses

Description: This tag indicates that the game can be played without repetitive button actions like button mashing and quick-time events.

Tag: Playable with Keyboard Only

Description: The game can be played using only a keyboard, without the need for any other devices.

Tag: Playable with Mouse Only

Description: Players can play using only a mouse, including adaptive technology that maps to mouse inputs.

Tag: Playable with Buttons Only

Description: The game and menus can be controlled using only digital inputs (like buttons or keys), where the amount of pressure does not affect the controls.

Tag: Playable with Touch Only

Description: Players can control the game using only touch controls, without the need for non-touch controls like buttons or analog sticks.

Tag: Playable Without Motion Controls

Description: This tag indicates that the game can be played without using motion controls.

Tag: Playable Without Touch Controls

Description: Players can enjoy the game without using touchpads or touchscreens.

Visual Features

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

Description: This tag allows the use of text-to-speech and speech-to-text for game chats with other players. Text chats can be narrated out loud in real-time, and voice chats can be read as a text transcript in real-time. This tag encompasses both auditory and visual features.

Tag: Clear Text

Description: Text in menus, control panels, and settings is displayed at a reasonable size, and the contrast can be adjusted. The text size is appropriate relative to the device’s screen resolution and typical viewing distance. The font is less stylized or can be changed to a less stylized option (e.g., sans serif), and the text has, or can be adjusted to, a reasonable contrast against all backgrounds.

Tag: Large Text

Description: This feature allows the use of a large font size for text in menus, control panels, and settings, relative to the device’s screen resolution and typical viewing distance.

Tag: Large & Clear Subtitles

Description: Subtitles are available for all dialogue. The text is at a reasonable size relative to the device’s screen resolution and typical viewing distance. The subtitle background transparency can be adjusted, and subtitles do not overlap with important game elements. The font is less stylized or can be changed to a less stylized option (e.g., sans serif). This tag covers spoken game dialogue only and does not include text displayed for other audio such as speaker tone or environmental sounds typically included in captions.

Tag: Color Alternatives

Description: Color is not used to communicate important information or can be adjusted. Instead, shape, pattern, icons, or text is used to convey information.

Tag: Camera Comfort

Description: This tag indicates that there are no camera effects that may cause discomfort or harm (e.g., nausea, headaches), or those effects can be turned off or adjusted. 'Camera effects' include, but are not limited to: shaking, swaying, bobbing, motion blur, camera speed, and forced narrative-based movement.

The Accessible Games Initiative is a significant step forward in making video games more inclusive and accessible to a broader audience. By providing clear and detailed information about accessibility features, this initiative empowers gamers with disabilities to make informed choices and enjoy the power of play.