Apex Legends ping system now ‘patent free’ when EA announces accessibility commitment

Electronic Arts has announced a Patent Compromise that gives its competitors completely free access to their current accessibility-related technology and innovations without the threat of legal action. Which is good!

The publisher hopes the promise, which it says is the first of its kind in the video game space, will foster innovation within accessibility-related technology from other companies who now have the freedom to build on some of the foundations that EA has already established.

Chris Bruzzo, EA’s executive vice president of positive gaming, business and marketing, said in the press release that the long-term goal here is to make games accessible to all players, a goal that can only be achieved if the industry works together to drive meaningful change. :

“We hope that developers will take full advantage of these patents and encourage those with the resources, the innovation and the creativity to do what we have by making their own promises that put accessibility first. We welcome collaboration with others on how we move the industry forward together. “

The compromise currently incorporates five existing patents that include some of EA’s most innovative technologies, one of which is Apex Legends’ excellent pinging system. Respawn’s superlative shooter has received much praise since its launch for this innovative system, which makes communication and teamwork quick and easy without the need for headphones or microphones, giving gamers with cognitive disabilities the opportunity to get involved. entirely by providing them with alternative means of interacting with teammates.

The ping system has also been praised for its positive effects on in-game toxicity, reducing the need for players to communicate verbally, thus eliminating a means for problem players to become abusive.

Three other patents involved in the compromise relate to technology widely used in the FIFA and Madden NFL franchises, innovations that automatically detect and modify colors and contrast to improve the visibility of players with low vision.

With EA also open source code for technology that addresses color blindness, brightness and contrast issues, as well as including an additional patent involving custom sound technology for hearing impaired gamers, the move seems like a really positive step forward for the industry with in regards to accessibility in the future. Chris Bruzzo added that:

“We are always listening to our players so that we can understand where there are unmet needs that we must meet. It’s important to us that everyone feels welcome in our games, and that level of inclusion should be based on feedback from the community. These technologies exist to help more people around the world experience great games, and we are very proud of the role our community plays in driving innovations that can make a difference. “

What games do you think could benefit from the ping system? Let us know below.