ESA Launches Initiative for Game Accessibility Details

The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) has unveiled the Accessible Games Initiative, a groundbreaking "tag" system designed to enhance video game accessibility for consumers. Announced at the Game Developers Conference, this initiative is the result of collaboration among industry giants 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 effort, which will be overseen by the ESA.

Under this initiative, participating video game companies will use a set of 24 approved "tags" to label their games, providing clear information about accessibility features. These tags will be displayed alongside the game's details on digital storefronts and product pages, making it easier for players to find games that meet their specific needs.

The tags cover a range of features, including "clear text," "large and clear subtitles," "narrated menus," "stick inversion," "save anytime," "difficulty levels," "playable without button holds," and more. These tags aim to address various accessibility needs, from auditory and visual to gameplay and input requirements.

Stanley Pierre-Louis, ESA president and CEO, 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. The ESA plans to potentially expand the tag system or adjust existing tags in the future to further enhance 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 music, speech, sound effects, background audio, text-to-speech audio, accessibility audio cues, and voice chat independently. Additionally, a single control can adjust all game sounds simultaneously.

Tag: Mono Sound

Description: Players can opt for mono audio, where the same audio is sent to all channels, providing a single, combined audio channel.

Tag: Stereo Sound

Description: This feature allows for stereo audio, where sounds indicate their left or right origin but do not convey depth or direction from above, below, ahead, or behind.

Tag: Surround Sound

Description: Enables surround sound, allowing sounds to communicate their origin from any direction.

Tag: Narrated Menus

Description: Supports screen readers or voice narration for menus and notifications, allowing players to navigate menus one item at a time with audio feedback.

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

Description: Facilitates real-time narration of text chats and transcription of voice chats, enhancing communication for players with auditory or visual impairments.

Gameplay Features

Tag: Difficulty Levels

Description: Offers multiple difficulty options, including at least one that reduces challenge intensity, with clear descriptions of the differences between levels.

Tag: Save Anytime

Description: Allows players to manually save their progress at any time, except during game-saving or loading, or when saving could lead to game-breaking scenarios.

Input Features

Tag: Basic Input Remapping

Description: Permits rearrangement of button controls, with the "Full Input Remapping" tag offering more comprehensive remapping options.

Tag: Full Input Remapping

Description: Enables players to assign any game action to any control across all supported input methods, including keyboard, mouse, controllers, and virtual on-screen controllers.

Tag: Stick Inversion

Description: Allows players to invert the direction of thumbsticks or flight sticks for up/down and left/right movements.

Tag: Playable without Button Holds

Description: Games can be played without holding down buttons, though some analog inputs may still require holds.

Tag: Playable without Rapid Button Presses

Description: Eliminates the need for repetitive button actions like button mashing or quick-time events.

Tag: Playable with Keyboard Only

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

Tag: Playable with Mouse Only

Description: Games can be played using only a mouse, including adaptive technology that maps to mouse inputs.

Tag: Playable with Buttons Only

Description: Games and menus can be controlled using only digital inputs like buttons or keys, where pressure does not affect the controls.

Tag: Playable with Touch Only

Description: Games can be played using only touch controls, without the need for non-touch inputs.

Tag: Playable Without Motion Controls

Description: Games can be played without using motion controls.

Tag: Playable Without Touch Controls

Description: Games can be played without using touchpads or touchscreens.

Visual Features

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

Description: Provides real-time narration of text chats and transcription of voice chats, aiding players with visual or auditory impairments.

Tag: Clear Text

Description: Ensures text in menus, control panels, and settings is of a reasonable size with adjustable contrast, using less stylized fonts.

Tag: Large Text

Description: Offers large font sizes for text in menus, control panels, and settings, relative to the device's screen resolution and typical viewing distance.

Tag: Large & Clear Subtitles

Description: Provides subtitles for all dialogue with adjustable size, background transparency, and non-overlapping placement, using less stylized fonts.

Tag: Color Alternatives

Description: Uses shape, pattern, icons, or text instead of color to communicate important information, or allows color adjustments.

Tag: Camera Comfort

Description: Eliminates or allows adjustment of camera effects that may cause discomfort, such as shaking, swaying, bobbing, motion blur, camera speed, and forced narrative-based movement.