Major game developers and tech companies are coming together for a new initiative, managed by the Entertainment Software Association (ESA), to standardise information about the accessibility features of their games. The announcement was made last week at the Game Developers Conference (GDC) in San Francisco. The new “Accessible Games Initiative,” founded by five members—Electronic Arts, Nintendo of America, Microsoft, Google, and Ubisoft—will use 24 new tags such as “clear text,” “large and clear subtitles,” and “narrated menus” to assist gamers who are blind or have low vision. The ESA noted that these tags were "developed with insight and feedback sourced directly from players with disabilities, accessibility advocacy groups, and game development teams.” According to the Accessible Games Initiative website, the list of tags includes auditory features, gameplay features, input features, and visual features. The standardisation of tags will make it easier for gamers with disabilities to find games with accessibility features or assistive device compatibility, also helping parents and teachers discover suitable games. However, the implementation of these tags is voluntary and will be displayed on digital storefronts, product pages, or digital catalogues. Currently, game developers use their own in-house accessibility tags, which may not always be effective in identifying games with the right accessibility features. The five founding members and Sony Interactive Entertainment “first developed” the initiative. However, Sony isn’t a founding member. Amazon Games, Riot Games, Square Enix, and Warner Bros. Games have since joined the initiative. A growing number of tech companies and leading game developers are incorporating more accessibility features—both in hardware and software—as part of a broader push to include accessibility in the design process. Advocates say it is critical for companies to hire and consult disabled people when creating products. Tech companies like Google and Apple already include several accessibility features in their smartphones and operating systems, while Microsoft and Sony have introduced gaming products for players with limited mobility in recent years. However, there is still a long road ahead to making tech products and games universally accessible.
