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Agence France-Presse

Carlos Vasquez is a master of video fighting game Mortal Kombat despite being unable to see the action on screen, because he is blind.
The Texas resident – who relies on sound to time punches, kicks and dodges – is among many who are calling for better access to gaming for people with disabilities.
“You have two characters across the screen fighting each other, left and right, and you just have to memorise the buttons,” says Vasquez, explaining what drew him to Mortal Kombat.
Long neglected by the industry, the issue of accessibility is increasingly front of mind for game makers.
There are financial as well as ethical reasons for opening doors to even more players in the multibillion-dollar industry.
According to the World Health Organization, more than a billion people live with some form of disability.
Overwhelming, addictive: the first Warcraft game led gamer to his profession
Microsoft, the tech powerhouse behind Xbox and its cloud game-streaming service, estimates that there are some 400 million players with disabilities.
Vasquez’s prowess caught the attention of Mortal Kombat maker NetherRealm Studios, owned by Warner Brothers Interactive Entertainment.
At his suggestion, the studio added audio cues to help blind gamers identify objects that they can interact with in the game.
Game makers are keeping accessibility in mind when designing software, adding settings intended to level the field for players with disabilities.
Things are a lot better than they were decades ago because games can somewhat be fixed with update patches
Chris Robinson, deaf gamer and host of Twitch channel DeafGamersTV
Things are a lot better than they were decades ago because games can somewhat be fixed with update patches
Chris Robinson, a Chicago-based gamer who was born deaf and hosts the DeafGamersTV channel on game-streaming site Twitch
Games can be tweaked to let artificial intelligence or other human players lend assistance when needed.
Options can be built in to bypass obstacles insurmountable due to a disability.
“The approach we have is to try to make accessibility part of the DNA of everyone in the company,” says David Tisserand, head of the initiative at French video game giant Ubisoft.
“We really want to make sure that everyone understands that accessibility is part of their mandate.”
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In March, the second annual Video Game Accessibility Awards were handed out to titles best adapted to people with disabilities.
Games that won honours included car racing title Forza Horizon 5, which was the first to ever support American and British sign language.
“Things are a lot better than they were decades ago because games can somewhat be fixed with update patches,” says Chris Robinson, a Chicago-based gamer who was born deaf and hosts the DeafGamersTV channel on game-streaming site Twitch.

Helpful visual or audio features in recent releases such as Last of Us Part II, Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy and Far Cry 6 have gotten kudos from players with disabilities.
Despite the progress, some players were adamant that more needs to be done and wanted to be heard in the process.
For example, larger type in subtitles and visual cues on screen make a world of difference to deaf players, Robinson says.

“The other challenge is communication with other players who can hear,” says Soleil Wheeler, a 16-year-old deaf gamer who uses the handle “Ewok”.
Thousands of people tune in to to watch Wheeler playing battle-royale games Fortnite and Apex Legends online.
The teenager eagerly awaits a time when conversations in online multiplayer games are displayed as captions in real-time during play.
Hardware accessories are rare for players with limited use of their hands, says David Combarieu, chief of Hitclic, a French start-up that designs gear enabling people with motor disabilities to game at a competitive level.

Microsoft makes a special adaptive controller for Xbox games, at a price of US$100, before adding in costs for customisation.
Yet, there is no controller equivalent offered by Xbox’s console market rivals Sony and Nintendo, Combarieu says.
Online platforms have a diverse range of players, but they can still be badgered with insulting or abusive comments by “trolls” and “haters”, Wheeler says.
“I am not letting them waste my time,” he says. “I pick my battles wisely as I navigate through life.”


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Disability

Play Mortal Kombat blind? How gamers with disabilities are getting a boost as accessibility becomes more front of mind

Deaf gamer Chris Robinson plays a video game in his apartment on March 26, 2022. More game makers are keeping accessibility in mind when designing software, adding settings intended to level the field for players with disabilities. Photo: AFP

Robinson plays a video game in his apartment in Justice, Illinois, the US, Photo: AFP

Robinson plays Street Fighter 5 in his apartment. Photo: AFP

Robinson with his favourite video games. Photo: AFP

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 movie review: Jim Carrey, Idris Elba, Ben Schwartz in utterly unimaginative, overlong sequel

Knuckles (left, voiced by Idris Elba) and Sonic (Ben Schwartz) in a still from Sonic the Hedgehog 2. Photo: Paramount Pictures and Sega.

Sonic (voiced by Ben Schwartz) in a still from Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (category I), co-starring Jim Carrey and the voice of Idris Elba. Jeff Fowler directs. Photo: Paramount Pictures and Sega of America

Jim Carrey in a still from Sonic the Hedgehog 2. Photo: Paramount Pictures and Sega of America

Knuckles (voiced by Idris Elba) in a still from Sonic the Hedgehog 2. Photo: Paramount Pictures and Sega of America

Microsoft creates new team in China to help local video game developers expand overseas via Xbox

In January, Microsoft announced it would purchase Activision Blizzard for US$68.7 billion. Photo: Reuters

Consoles like Xbox have remained a small part of China’s gaming market, as they were prohibited from sale until a 15-year government ban ended in 2015. Photo: Handout

Lifestyle

Entertainment


Mortal Kombat has added audio cues, Forza Horizon 5 supports sign language and Microsoft makes a special adaptive controller for Xbox games
Despite the progress, some players are adamant that more needs to be done – such as larger subtitles – and want to be heard in the process



Forza Horizon 5 supports sign language, Mortal Kombat has added audio cues, and Microsoft makes a special controller for Xbox games, but some players believe more should be done.


Video gaming

Microsoft