How Xbox is advancing gaming accessibility across its platforms and hopefully across the industry


October marks the first anniversary of the launch of the current generation of consoles by Microsoft and Sony. Xbox Series X / S and PS5 bring with them powerful new hardware, as well as title libraries that benefit from faster loading speeds and special features like Quick Resume or DualSense haptics. With the new systems, the potential for innovation arises to make games not only faster or more tactile, but also, more importantly, more accessible.

Xbox has worked hard to make accessibility advancements part of its mission since before the launch of the Xbox Series X and S. From the launch of the Xbox Adaptive Controller, to several new accessibility and feature updates for its systems. recently unveiled During Disability Awareness Month in October, Xbox is building an accessible game package that many disabled gamers will gravitate to. Speaking to IGN, Xbox accessibility leaders discussed the company’s journey thus far in building a more accessible platform, the work that still needs to be done to make all games more accessible, and hopes for better cooperation. in the industry to achieve that future.

The evolution of Xbox accessibility

In-house accessibility is not new, as systems have included console-wide accessibility since 2015. Progress is relatively incremental, however, aside from the latest Xbox updates and announcements. Both PlayStation and Xbox allow gamers to fully customize controls, regardless of inputs to a specific game, although these customization options existed for the previous generation and have largely remained unchanged since their initial release. Nintendo Switch takes this feature one step further with five custom controller profiles for each official Nintendo controller. Other notable accessibility options included at the hardware level or present in most games are zoom features, text-to-speech, and the ability to reduce screen shake and shake. But Xbox is creating new features to help distinguish its accessibility from the competition and hopefully push the entire industry to find new ways to innovate.

Speaking to IGN, Xbox Accessibility Director Anita Mortaloni notes the progressive evolution of accessibility, especially with consoles.

Remarkable progress in accessibility by 2020

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“We know that accessibility is a journey, and we are just getting started, and there is still a lot to do, and a lot we can continue to do even on the Xbox Adaptive Controller,” said Mortaloni.

One of the new innovations he discussed is the game accessibility feature tag system. According to a official xbox post, the store page will now show what accessibility features are present in a game. Tags such as “Narrated Game Menus, Subtitle Options, Input Remapping, Full Keyboard Support, and Single Stick Gameplay” will provide disabled gamers with a brief synopsis of what to expect to help inform their purchasing decisions. Currently, there are only 20 tags present, but Xbox intends to integrate the feature tags into a more comprehensive system as it gets feedback from disabled gamers and developers.

“The number one question we keep getting is ‘What game can I play?'” Mortaloni said. “We wanted to make it really easy for players to find the next game that they would love and be able to play. In addition to the fact that it’s frustrating to have to do all that research to get started, you don’t want to buy or download a game and, within minutes or seconds, you find that you can’t play it. “

The ability to check features is also beneficial beyond the first few minutes of a game. Often times disabled players will have a hard time completing a section or boss encounter well beyond the rare refund request period that some platforms offer. Mortaloni notes that it is frustrating for disabled people to play “… 99 percent through, [only to] find out that you can’t finish the final boss fight because a role isn’t there. “

Feature labels are a great way to inform disabled consumers about potential barriers and their accessible solutions, but they still don’t give disabled gamers the ability to play more games. Currently, the Xbox Adaptive Controller is the only first-time-developed piece of technology available intentionally created to help people with disabilities. However, the device, famous with the slogan “When everyone plays, everyone wins”, primarily benefits people with motor disabilities, a fraction of the total number of disabilities that exist. For people with disabilities with limited range or limited motor function, the adaptive controller is an excellent piece of technology. But for people who are blind or have limited vision, or gamers who are deaf or hard of hearing, there is room to create more options, rather than the existing adaptive controller like the only hardware approach that improves accessibility. And that’s a problem Xbox seems well aware of.

Xbox Game Studios Director of Accessibility and Director of Games and Disability Tara Voelker points to the need to continue to seek and develop accessible technology for gamers with disabilities beyond motor disabilities.

“Xbox has already taken its first steps to improve accessibility beyond the adaptive controller by incorporating our learnings into our other products,” said Voelker. “Even if you look at the Xbox Series X controllers | Yes, we made a concerted effort to expand it to more people by adjusting the size and ergonomics. Looking ahead, we still have a lot to think about. The Xbox Adaptive Controller is a product that was developed to address the needs of a specific group of gamers, those affected by certain motor disabilities. To really improve our technology, we have to look at the players that still don’t meet their needs and ask why. Once we understand the challenges these players face, we can try to solve them by creating new and innovative products. “

Xbox’s desire for industry-wide inclusion

The lack of accessible Xbox technology for people, in addition to people with motor disabilities, is indicative of a bigger problem in the industry: the need for inclusive devices like controllers. While the Xbox Adaptive Controller is immensely beneficial for people with physical disabilities, there is an issue that other Xbox accessibility advancements cannot specifically handle.

The adaptive controller is the only accessible source controller on the market and only works with Microsoft systems. While the hugely popular Switch offers multiple controllers and the ability to position them in unique ways, its button layout and the force required to press buttons cannot be changed. And PlayStation games made specifically for the PS5 can only be played with a DualSense. Until the rest of the industry designs accessible controllers, Xbox and Windows are the only platforms that offer a controller for those with various motor disabilities. And while there are alternative third-party solutions, there is no uniformly agreed technology, so consistency of quality and depth of uses can vary dramatically from controller to controller.

Sample Screenshots of EA’s Accessibility Patent Pledge

One way to mitigate these inconsistencies and open up more consoles for accessible controller options could be for companies to start working together and share their knowledge bases. And while this isn’t a direct comparison, Xbox-published games like Minecraft, Psychonauts 2, and more are available on third-party platforms, and Xbox-owned characters have appeared in Super Smash Bros. fewer starting to break through walls in the games. that we normally think of when it comes to PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo.

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“I would love for the gaming industry to form partnerships so that accessible technology can be used on more platforms with minimal effort from players,” said Voelker. “I would love to be in a world where gamers choose the controller that is right for them (be it the Xbox Adaptive Controller, the HORI Flex, or something else of their choice) and can use it to play wherever they want. I would also love to see the industry working together to find out how we can lower the cost of assistive technology so that more people can afford the best gaming experience. “

Voelker’s desire for accessible partnerships across various studios highlights one of the main barriers disabled people encounter when playing console games: exclusivity. While accessible features can be universally integrated across platforms, such as subtitles, remappable controls, and colorblind filters, the technology behind these features remains unique or is integrated separately on specific platforms. And when there is only one accessible first-party driver, people with motor disabilities have only one option.

“I would love for the gaming industry to form partnerships so that accessible technology can be used on more platforms with minimal effort from players.”


“I don’t think competition is necessary to drive innovation in accessibility,” said Anita Mortaloni. “Accessibility is one of those fields [where] 1 + 1 = 3. Yes, we can all do a lot individually, but when we come together, partner and share ideas, be it between companies or with the community, we do much more and are able to advance the industry a lot. further away.”

Innovation is commonplace in the gaming industry. As studios continue to develop powerful new systems, pieces of technology that complement new games are sure to follow. However, for disabled people, there is still a lack of software and hardware specifically designed to help disabled people when they face unnecessary and unintended barriers to play. Until more disabilities are represented with better console accessibility and pieces of technology, the gaming industry cannot be truly inclusive. Xbox’s effort to provide ongoing support for disabled gamers is indicative of an industry that is willing to change. And as Mortaloni points out, industry-wide collaboration for accessibility is necessary, and hopefully Xbox’s approach can encourage others to follow in its footsteps.

“There is no benefit in keeping it to ourselves. We all win when more people know it, understand it and include it… ”.

Grant Stoner is a freelance writer for IGN. You can find it in Twitter.




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