Videogames are one of the most popular pastimes in developed countries around the world. Unfortunately, until a few years ago, most videogames were inaccessible to those who were visually or hearing impaired. However, many companies are committed to expanding their markets by adding accessibility.
One important factor in creating a more accessible gaming future was the CVAA (21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act), which stated that communications must be as accessible to those with disabilities as possible. However, this is very vague, and although it was signed in 2010, it was not until 2019 that Xbox had a promotional campaign that stated, “when everybody plays, we all win”. The article was written by a videogame design company, so it is important to note they may be biased. They viewed the act positively, which I agree with, it is a very good thing there can be legal recourse against those who create inaccessible materials. The article also can serve as promotional material for their company – it shows how accessible their games are, meaning they did not point out their own shortcomings.
One way games can be more accessible is for menu screens to state where inside the menu they are – the article refers to this as “the ramp”. The article delves into what it means for the player to choose where they are inside the screen and what design choices the company made as it designed “the ramp”.
Read the article here: https://uxdesign.cc/designing-main-menu-screens-for-visually-impaired-gamers-865a8bd76543
LIS 4022 Spring 2020 