ESA Announces Accessible Games Initiative to Provide Product Accessibility Feature Information

Today, the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) 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 a collaborative effort by major players in the industry including Electronic Arts, Google, Microsoft, Nintendo, Sony, and Ubisoft. Additional companies such as Amazon, Riot Games, Square Enix, and WB Games have also joined this effort, which will be overseen by the ESA.

Under this initiative, participating video game companies will label their games with specific "tags" chosen from a curated list of 24. These tags will be displayed prominently on digital storefronts and product pages, providing consumers with clear information about the accessibility features of each game. Examples of these tags include "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 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 and on a company-by-company basis, and while they are not mandatory, they promise to make a significant impact. Initially available only in English, the system may expand to include more tags or refine existing ones over time.

Accessible Games Initiative Tags:

Auditory Features

Tag: Multiple Volume Controls

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

Tag: Mono Sound

Description: This feature allows gameplay with mono audio, sending the same audio to all channels, such as both left and right headphones, for a unified audio experience.

Tag: Stereo Sound

Description: Enables stereo audio gameplay, where sounds indicate their lateral position (left or right), but not their vertical or depth position.

Tag: Surround Sound

Description: Supports surround sound gameplay, allowing sounds to communicate their position in any direction, enhancing the immersive experience.

Tag: Narrated Menus

Description: Provides screen reader or voice narration for menus and notifications, allowing players to navigate and receive updates audibly.

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

Description: Facilitates real-time narration of text chats and transcription of voice chats, enhancing communication accessibility.

Gameplay Features

Tag: Difficulty Levels

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

Tag: Save Anytime

Description: Allows manual saving of game progress at any time, with exceptions during saving/loading or when it could cause game-breaking scenarios.

Input Features

Tag: Basic Input Remapping

Description: Permits rearrangement of button controls, such as swapping or other methods, though full remapping of all controls is covered under the "Full Input Remapping" tag.

Tag: Full Input Remapping

Description: Enables complete customization of game controls across all supported input methods, including swapping controller stick functionality.

Tag: Stick Inversion

Description: Allows reversal of directional inputs for up/down and left/right movements, applicable to thumbsticks and flight sticks.

Tag: Playable without Button Holds

Description: Ensures gameplay without the need to hold digital inputs, though some analog inputs may still require holding.

Tag: Playable without Rapid Button Presses

Description: Eliminates the need for repetitive button actions, such as button mashing and quick-time events.

Tag: Playable with Keyboard Only

Description: Supports gameplay using only a keyboard, without requiring any other input devices.

Tag: Playable with Mouse Only

Description: Allows gameplay using only a mouse, compatible with adaptive technologies that map to mouse inputs.

Tag: Playable with Buttons Only

Description: Enables gameplay using only digital inputs like buttons or keys, where pressure sensitivity is not a factor.

Tag: Playable with Touch Only

Description: Supports gameplay using only touch controls, without requiring non-touch inputs like buttons or analog sticks.

Tag: Playable Without Motion Controls

Description: Permits gameplay without the use of motion controls.

Tag: Playable Without Touch Controls

Description: Allows gameplay without the use of touchpads or touchscreens.

Visual Features

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

Description: Facilitates real-time narration of text chats and transcription of voice chats, enhancing communication accessibility.

Tag: Clear Text

Description: Ensures text in menus, control panels, and settings is of a reasonable size and adjustable contrast, with 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 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: Ensures important information is communicated through shape, pattern, icons, or text, rather than color alone, or allows color adjustments.

Tag: Camera Comfort

Description: Prevents or allows adjustments to camera effects that might cause discomfort or harm, such as shaking, swaying, motion blur, and forced narrative-based movement.