Recent innovations in tech are allowing people with severe disabilities to enjoy videogames for the first time.
Family fun gaming, Media from Wix
Games are becoming increasingly popular over the years, with recent statistics showing that it has become one of the most profitable forms of entertainment in the European entertainment market.
The Office of National Statistics reported that there are nearly 10 million people in England living with some form of disability.
Gaming has become more accessible to those with disabilities in recent years because of technological improvements and increased awareness of the need for accessibility in playing video games.
SpecialEffect, a videogame charity based in Oxfordshire, provide information on accessible games and technology.
They visit clients on a case-to-case basis, assess their condition and needs, and supply specialist equipment depending on what game they want to play.
For example, someone who has muscular dystrophy will be provided with a lighter controller featuring joysticks that require less force to move so they can play platformers like Super Mario Bros.
Communities and organisations like SpecialEffect are providing support and resources for gamers with disabilities.
There have been calls for gaming to become more accessible so that people of varying levels of disabilities can enjoy games without limits.
Jacob Holden, staff member of the specialist occupational therapy team at SpecialEffect, said: “I think with people who are streaming nowadays and with social media, it's so easy to get the word out there.
“And so I think the more people who know about accessibility, about the hardware and the software, how to make games more accessible...
“It's always a good thing to promote because I think when everybody plays, everybody wins.”
Recent innovations from tech companies like Microsoft and Logitech have opened new opportunities for disabled people surrounding gaming, with new controllers and equipment that are both inclusive for those who cannot use a standard gamepad or mouse and are compatible with some of the host popular titles in the gaming space.
Sony, the developers behind the popular gaming console PlayStation, announced Project Leonardo for their latest console release in early 2023.
On their blog post So Morimoto, designer at Sony Interactive Entertainment, said: “Because players can customize Project Leonardo according to their needs, there is no one ‘right’ form factor.
“We want to empower them to create their own configurations.”
These controllers are compatible with a diverse range of games, allowing those with disabilities to experience games previously thought unplayable for the first time.
Holden said: “It's so pleasing to see that Sony has taken accessibility more seriously like Xbox have done as well with the release of their controller.
“I think it's so nice that bigger companies are starting to take the accessibility side of things and involve more players, you know, much more serious.”
This new opportunity for disabled people also poses other problems, including some of the drawbacks that may come from playing videogames after experiencing it for the first time.
Staring into a screen, Media from Wix
In an Ofcom report, UK gamers spent over 7 and a half hours a week playing videogames in 2021.
Nearly 85% of parents agreed their children were spending longer playing videogames, and there was a 25% increase in time spent playing by older generations.
It has caused concern for the possibility of rising game addiction cases, especially for those who are more vulnerable mentally.
Gaming addiction can cause people to spend excessive amounts of time playing, which can negatively impact their relationships, work or studies, and overall well-being.
However, games have also been proven to improve mental health and a great alternative to other online activities.
Holden said: “I think video games give that outlet to interact with people all over the world to meet up with friends online virtually, but also to give them, you know, something to be preoccupied with rather than kind of watching telly, which it can be kind of a monotonous activity.
“Giving them something interactive that they can physically use and, you know, think about when playing games.
“Whether this be a puzzle game, or action-adventure game, platformers, anything like that.
“That stimulates brain power and I think it’s always going to do wonders for people's mental health.”
Game developers are increasingly designing games with accessibility in mind, both with physical and technical limitations.
There have also been concerns that altering a games setting can create an unfair advantage in multiplayer genres, especially as this technology can be used for any game with a line of code.
'Cross Play' was introduced to a large number of online multiplayer genres, which allowed for people from different platforms to play together.
However, it has sparked debates within the online community, as the use of controller on consoles is commonly regarded as giving an unfair edge over a mouse and keyboard on a computer.
With the use of technology to adapt a game’s setting to any controller, there are concerns that this change may unintentionally ruin the balance of some competitive games.
Over the years, gaming companies have increased their efforts against online tools and equipment that augment a players gaming experience and grants them an unfair advantage.
Holden said: “It comes up a little bit, when we're kind of speaking with developers because we want to give players all the access possible that they can have.
“So we want to make sure that all the games that they want to play can be accessed with variety of controllers.
“People like different shape and feel of different controllers, but also allows us to use our own adaptations a lot more easily.
“I believe they want to make sure that the gaming is, you know, accessible for everybody and that it doesn't always have to be competitive.
“So we believe that if someone can just play the game using whatever access they need, then I don't see the problem.
“I think there should be a reason to allow that to happen if it means it gets a wider platform of people playing.”
Whether its for single player games on the phone or intense multiplayer titles on consoles, these advancements in technology are making video games easier than ever to play and ensuring gaming is truly for everyone.
Check out the full interview here!
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