ESA Unveils Initiative for Game Accessibility Information

The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) has unveiled the Accessible Games Initiative, a groundbreaking "tag" system designed to enhance video game accessibility for consumers. Announced at the Game Developers Conference, this initiative is the result of collaboration among industry giants such as Electronic Arts, Google, Microsoft, Nintendo, Sony, and Ubisoft. Additional support has come from Amazon, Riot Games, Square Enix, and WB Games, with the ESA overseeing the initiative's management.

Under this initiative, participating video game companies will utilize a set of 24 approved "tags" to label their games, providing clear information about accessibility features. These tags will be displayed alongside the game's details on digital storefronts and product pages, making it easier for players to find games that meet their specific needs.

The tags cover a wide range of features, including "clear text," "large and clear subtitles," "narrated menus," "stick inversion," "save anytime," "difficulty levels," and "playable without button holds," among others. These tags aim to address various accessibility needs, ensuring that more players can enjoy the gaming experience.

Stanley Pierre-Louis, ESA president and CEO, emphasized the importance of this initiative, stating, "Tens of millions of Americans have a disability and often face barriers to experiencing the joy and connection that comes with playing video games. We are immensely proud to announce the Accessible Games Initiative in partnership with industry leaders. This initiative demonstrates how impactful we can be when we work together in our industry-wide pursuit of helping more people experience the power of play."

The rollout of these tags will occur gradually, on a company-by-company basis, and is not mandatory. Initially, the tags will be available only in English, with potential future expansions or modifications to the tag system.

Accessible Games Initiative Tags:

Auditory Features

Tag: Multiple Volume Controls

Description: Separate volume controls are available for different types of sounds, allowing players to adjust music, speech, sound effects, background audio, text-to-speech audio, accessibility audio cues, and voice chat independently. Additionally, a single volume control can adjust all game sounds simultaneously.

Tag: Mono Sound

Description: This feature enables players to use mono audio, sending the same audio to all channels, such as both left and right headphones, for a unified audio experience.

Tag: Stereo Sound

Description: Players can enjoy stereo audio, where sounds indicate their left or right origin, though they do not convey depth or direction from above, below, ahead, or behind.

Tag: Surround Sound

Description: This tag indicates support for surround sound, allowing sounds to communicate their origin from any direction, enhancing the immersive experience.

Tag: Narrated Menus

Description: Screen readers or voice narration can be used for menus and notifications, enabling players to navigate and understand menu interactions through audio cues.

Tag: Chat Speech-to-Text & Text-to-Speech

Description: This feature supports text-to-speech and speech-to-text for in-game chats, allowing real-time narration of text chats and transcription of voice chats.

Gameplay Features

Tag: Difficulty Levels

Description: Players can choose from multiple difficulty settings, including at least one option that reduces the intensity of challenges, with clear descriptions of the differences between levels.

Tag: Save Anytime

Description: Players can manually save their progress at any time, except during game-saving or loading processes or when saving could lead to game-breaking scenarios.

Input Features

Tag: Basic Input Remapping

Description: This allows players to rearrange button controls, either by swapping or using another method. The "Full Input Remapping" tag offers more comprehensive remapping options.

Tag: Full Input Remapping

Description: Players can assign any game action to any control across all supported input methods, including keyboard, mouse, controllers, and virtual on-screen controllers, with the ability to swap controller stick functionality.

Tag: Stick Inversion

Description: Players can invert the direction of thumbsticks or flight sticks, affecting game movement in up/down and left/right directions.

Tag: Playable without Button Holds

Description: The game can be played without holding down buttons, though some analog inputs may still require holds.

Tag: Playable without Rapid Button Presses

Description: This feature eliminates the need for repetitive button actions like button mashing or quick-time events.

Tag: Playable with Keyboard Only

Description: The game can be played using only a keyboard, without the need for other devices.

Tag: Playable with Mouse Only

Description: Players can use only a mouse, including adaptive technology that maps to mouse inputs.

Tag: Playable with Buttons Only

Description: The game and menus can be controlled using only digital inputs like buttons or keys, where pressure does not affect the controls.

Tag: Playable with Touch Only

Description: Players can use only touch controls, without the need for non-touch inputs like buttons or analog sticks.

Tag: Playable Without Motion Controls

Description: This tag indicates that the game can be played without using motion controls.

Tag: Playable Without Touch Controls

Description: Players can enjoy the game without using touchpads or touchscreens.

Visual Features

Tag: Chat Speech-to-Text & Text-to-Speech

Description: This feature supports text-to-speech and speech-to-text for in-game chats, allowing real-time narration of text chats and transcription of voice chats.

Tag: Clear Text

Description: Text in menus, control panels, and settings is displayed at a reasonable size with adjustable contrast, using less stylized fonts or offering font change options.

Tag: Large Text

Description: Players can use a large font size for text in menus, control panels, and settings, relative to the device's screen resolution and typical viewing distance.

Tag: Large & Clear Subtitles

Description: Subtitles are available for all dialogue, with adjustable size, background transparency, and font options, ensuring they do not overlap with important game elements.

Tag: Color Alternatives

Description: Important information is communicated using shape, pattern, icons, or text instead of color, or color can be adjusted to meet player needs.

Tag: Camera Comfort

Description: This tag ensures that camera effects, such as shaking, swaying, bobbing, motion blur, camera speed, and forced narrative-based movement, can be turned off or adjusted to prevent discomfort or harm.