Xbox Continues to Champion the Gaming & Disability Community with New Accessibility Updates
We can share stories, create friendships and experience the joy of gaming with others around the globe. Xbox is committed to ensuring that everyone can experience gaming, even the 429 millions players with disabilities. It is also our duty to ensure everyone is included, feels safe and welcome.
Each October we take a moment to celebrate the disability community, and earlier this month Xbox celebrated its partnership with Special Olympics in the form of Gaming for Inclusion, a hybrid, multi-day tournament that aims to showcase the power of inclusion through gaming, break down barriers and empower Special Olympics athletes through technology.
By empowering gamers to enjoy gaming in a way that suits them, prioritizing accessibility will encourage more people to participate in it. Today, we are excited to continue our support of the Gaming & Disability community by sharing a variety of updates. Included are:
- Recognizing Craig Hospital’s Adaptive Gaming Program, which showcases the power of play and importance of making gaming for everyone.
- Team Xbox has released new features that improve accessibility.
- Unveiling the Playbook for Accessible Gaming Events, an events guide that shares 12 best practices Xbox has learned partnering with the Gaming & Disability community over the years.
- Xbox has launched a new channel called Accessibility in games, which features thousands of tags and hundreds of titles!
- Announcement of the next phase in the Xbox Ambassador Accessibility Explorer Path. This will feature new knowledge tests and badges. It also recognizes the 2 million quests successfully completed since October 2022.
- Highlighting our favorites accessible games, including Age of Empires and Forza Motorsport, which was just released.
- There’s more!
We all benefit when everyone is able to play. Check out more details below!
Craig Hospital’s Adaptive Gaming Program
Craig Hospital in Colorado is a neurorehabilitation, research and treatment hospital that treats traumatic brain injury and spinal cord injury. Xbox began a partnership with Craig Hospital in 2018 when the Xbox Adaptive Controller was launched. Since then, Craig Hospital has been an invaluable partner in helping shape Team Xbox’s accessible hardware journey.
Today, we are excited to highlight the hospital’s Adaptive Gaming Program, which brings the joy and connection of gaming to patients and family members alike who love to play. Check out the video below which details how gaming has been a positive force for players who have taken part in Craig Hospital’s gaming program.
Craig Hospital has many gamers who use the Xbox Adaptive Controller for their custom gameplay. Visit the Xbox Adaptive Controller user guide to learn more, and how you can get started.
Playbook for Accessible Games
Xbox aspires to create a gaming world in which everyone is able to participate. Playbook for Accessible Gaming Events is no different. In this guide, Xbox shares best practices learned over years of working with the Gaming & Disability Community at events such as GDC, gamescom, E3, Xbox Fanfest, and more. A newly released Disability Etiquette Video is available to accompany this guide.
These best practices, which are similar to our Xbox Accessibility Guidelines for Event Production Teams, are intended as a tool for the generation of ideas, while also providing a guideline for planning. These best practices can be applied to evaluate the accessibility of an entire event after its conclusion, and build on it for future events.
Use existing controller to pair Controllers
It is now possible to pair wirelessly, without having to physically touch the console. The Xbox Media Remote, Digital Assistant voice command or previously-paired controller can be used to put the console in pairing mode from a wheelchair, couch, hospital bed etc. Check out the support article on how to Connect an Xbox Wireless Controller to your console for more details.
Elite 2 & Adaptive Controller to Keyboard Remapping
The Xbox Adaptive Controller will allow players to remap the controller buttons on their Elite Series 2 to nearly 90 keyboard keys. This allows those with limited mobility the ability to play games which only accept mouse/keyboard input using the Xbox Adaptive Controller. Players can, for example, map the left bumper on the controller to Keyboard C or Ctrl+C, Ctrl+Shift+C, etc.
Remapping can be done on the Xbox Accessories application, which is accessible both for PCs and consoles. The feature is available now to Xbox Insiders, Xbox Accessibility Insiders League members (XAIL), and it will become available for all players within the next few months. Check out more details in the Keyboard Button Mapping for Xbox Controllers – Xbox Wire post and how to join Xbox Accessibility Insider League.
Game Bar Widgets and Accessibility settings for Xbox Widgets
Xbox games on PC are about to become even more accessible. Following the launch of the Xbox app’s ‘Accessibility’ settings menu last spring, the Xbox widgets in Game Bar will include their own ‘Game accessibility’ settings menu on October 19 to make it even easier for players to locate accessibility settings on the platform. In the updated Xbox widgets, you’ll find both visual and audio-related accessibility controls to customize your PC gaming experience according to your preferences and needs.
To see the new menu, starting on 10/19, update Game Bar and the Xbox App on PC to the latest versions; the ‘Game accessibility’ settings are available via any of the new Xbox widgets in Game Bar by clicking on their “settings” button.
Accessibility Explorer Path: New knowledge check in the Xbox Ambassador Accessibility Explorer Path
Xbox Ambassadors have completed over 2 million quests in the Xbox Ambassador Accessibility Explorer Path since its launch a year back. The path is a great way for Xbox Ambassadors to gain more knowledge about accessibility while supporting a friendly, inclusive and welcoming community.
In addition to continuing to share new quests, Xbox is excited to announce that in upcoming months the Explorer Path will feature knowledge checks that will celebrate ambassador’s knowledge of accessibility from completed quests. After completing these checks, ambassadors can earn an Xbox Accessibility Ally Badge to be attached to their profile. If you haven’t already, check out the Xbox Ambassadors page to start your accessibility journey!
New ‘Accessibility in Games’ channel on Xbox Store
It’s now even easier for players to find their next favorite game! Xbox Game Accessibility Tags launched in 2021. There are over 20 tags which represent accessibility features that players can use when searching for games. Previously titles that had 6 tags or more were featured in the Xbox.com store. With hundreds of games now being available and thousands of tags, Xbox launched an Accessibility in Games section. You can find out more about it here.Tags that identify games that have accessibility features make it easier for you to locate games that are best suited for your needs.
Microsoft Store is available on Xbox’s navigation bar and home page. There, gamers can sort and filter games by Gameplay, Audio and Visual accessibility features.
Microsoft Gaming Accessibility Testing Service at PAX 2019
Microsoft Gaming Accessibility Testing Service is a program that allows developers and publishers of games to test their accessibility, receive feedback from players with disabilities and learn what accessibility tags are applicable to their game.
The MGATS team held a workshop at PAX West, on September 1, to provide an overview of accessibility in gaming and tips for testing. This was followed by breakout sessions with 8 workstations equipped with Xbox consoles and accessories, ready to test games like Minecraft to see how they support accessibility features such as “progress saving options”, “adjustable difficulty”, “full keyboard support” and more. It was through this community interaction that we were able to gather feedback and build on the program. We also learned how to test video games to ensure they are accessible to all.
Xbox believes that accessibility is an ongoing journey, with no definitive end. It also includes creating games that everyone can enjoy. Today we’re excited to showcase some recent Xbox accessibility achievements.
Forza Motorsport
Turn 10 Studios launched their new accessible wheelchair last week. Forza MotorsportBlind Driving Assists, a feature set built for players who are blind or have low vision, works by providing supplemental audio cues designed to help Low/No Vision players navigate the tracks of the game. Blind Driving Assists is a new feature for those who have Low Vision or are Blind. It works by using a series of audio cues to guide players with Low/No Vision through the game tracks. Forza Motorsport. Over a period of two years, the Disability Community worked closely with us to develop a full set of accessible features.
Accessibility features are described in detail below. Forza MotorsportPlease click on the link below. Check out the following video to get familiarized with all of these features. Also, Brandon Cole, an accessibility consultant, offers some driving tips.
Sea of Thieves
To help players with low vision or blindness target enemy AI and other players when they use guns and cannons, a new feature was added in August. If players get close to the target, they hear a clicking sound. Closer they get, the quicker it clicks. Specific features include
- Players can rotate their horizontal rotation by listening to the sound.
- Vertical movement is made easier by the sound pitching up or down.
- The sound is muted when the players pass over an object.
- When players man or aim a cannon, Aim Assist begins.
Age of Empires
In August, Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition, the latest instalment of the iconic strategy series arrived as a surprise announcement during Gamescom’s Opening Night Live and was made immediately available to play on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One. The Age team optimized the game to work with Xbox controllers. They also redesigned the interface for consoles and created new tutorials for beginners to ensure success.
The surprise release included a variety of accessibility options that let players customize their gameplay. The accessibility features included customizable difficulty levels, on-demand video tutorials to help learn controls and mechanics of the game, UI narrations and Strong Contrast Modes, steady camera setting, etc. Click this link for a list of all the accessibility options available in Age of Empires IV Anniversary Edition.
Are you looking for more games to play?
In October, as well as beyond, we will feature games reflecting neurodiversity or created by people with disabilities. The Stores Collection is available on Xbox One and Windows. It’s part of Microsoft’s ongoing efforts to build more inclusive gaming environments and raise content that resonates among communities. For Xbox Game Pass members, check out the Xbox Game Pass Gaming & Disability community collection and the PC Game Pass Gaming & Disability community collection.
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