Hearing Glasses, Haptic Technology, and Other Tools that Make Video Games More Inclusive and Accessible

The global video game market reached approximately $242 billion in revenue in 2023, signifying its impressive growth and success among different gaming audiences and platforms. However, gamers worldwide continue to demand that the industry needs to be more accessible to meet their varying needs and preferences.

For instance, one of our previous posts notes the importance of financial accessibility for video games and gaming accessories, especially considering rising inflation rates and shrinking household budgets. The good news is that the rise of digital storefronts and subscription services like PlayStation Network enables gamers to access a wide range of titles and add them to their library without having to purchase physical copies that are typically more expensive.

But beyond considering financial capacity, accessibility in the gaming industry also revolves around finding solutions for gamers with physical and cognitive disabilities. More than a quarter (29%) of the respondents to the International Game Development Association’s 2021 developer satisfaction survey stated that they have a disability of some kind, making it crucial to investigate the common barriers encountered by gamers with disabilities.

Additionally, the article examines gaming tools, features, and accessories that improve accessibility for gamers with visual, hearing, motor, and neurological disabilities.

Gamers with disabilities face numerous barriers

Despite the gaming industry being successful globally, a study reveals that creators and developers are not doing enough to make video games more inclusive and accessible for individuals with physical and mental disabilities. In a poll conducted by Samsung, 81% of gamers with disabilities share that they struggle to play their favorite video games due to inaccessible and poorly designed features.

The most common accessibility problems include a lack of customizable control options (21%), hard-to-read text (33%), fast-paced gameplay (34%), and flashing lighting effects (31%), which forced 39% of respondents to stop playing a game. Meanwhile, 24% experienced dexterity issues, such as controllers not being ergonomically designed.

While these factors can negatively impact gaming duration and overall experience, there are games released with an extensive set of accessibility menu options to make them more playable to as many people as possible. For example, The Last of Us Part II (2020) allows players who are blind or have low vision to toggle the high-contrast display and enhanced listening mode and gives gamers with mobility issues the option to customize controls like weapon pick-up and melee combos.

Moreover, efforts to make gaming more accessible and representative of people with disabilities can be observed in the introduction of assistive tools and gaming technologies that aid gamers with visual, hearing, and mobility impairments.

Accessible tools for gamers with disabilities

Hearing glasses

Specific sounds in the game, such as gunshots, footsteps, and noises made by vehicles, must be clearly heard to help players navigate their surroundings and strategize their gameplay. As such, gamers may wear hearing aids to amplify sounds and optimize audio output to their needs and preferences.

However, hearing glasses have emerged as a more lightweight, wearable option, especially among deaf gamers who also struggle with vision impairments like myopia. The tech company Nuance’s all-in-one vision and hearing solution is streamlined for mild to moderate hearing concerns through its proprietary beamforming technology. In addition to enjoying reduced background noise and flexible audio settings, gamers can choose prescription lenses and timeless frame styles suited for comfortable gaming.

Adaptive controllers

As the study cited earlier mentions, gamers with physical or mobility issues may struggle with using controllers, keyboards, and other handheld gaming accessories. While games may provide navigation assistance and the option to adjust features like button sensitivity, gamers can also utilize adaptive controllers to configure controls based on their physical needs and abilities.

For example, Microsoft released the Proteus Controller, a wireless video game controller kit with a modular design that allows Xbox gamers with physical disabilities to play more smoothly and conveniently. Created in partnership with the company Byowave, the Proteus controller has small cubes with Lego-like components to interchange the controller buttons, directional pad, and analog sticks. The remappable buttons and 100+ configurations are also suitable for one-handed gamers who prioritize comfort and ergonomics in their gaming experience.

Haptic feedback

Deaf or hard-of-hearing players have the option to use subtitles and visual descriptions for dialogues and in-game sounds, but these features may not be enough to make video games as realistic and immersive as they are to hearing individuals. As such, video game companies like Naughty Dog have integrated haptic technology into their releases so that deaf gamers can feel the way a line is delivered through vibrations and tactile sensations.

To illustrate, The Last of Us Part I can be used with the PS5 DualSense controller as haptic feedback for more immersive character dialogues and narrations. The intensity of the haptic feedback can also be fine-tuned for other aspects of the gameplay, such as the menu selection, player actions, ambient weather, cinematics, and environmental events.

Text-to-speech features

Video games are becoming increasingly inclusive of blind or low-vision gamers beyond accessibility settings that can adjust the text size, display contrast and brightness, and color visibility. For one, mainstream video game engines like Unity offer screen reader support so that in-game text can be read aloud in the user’s preferred voice, speed, and inflection.

Furthermore, game designer and accessible player experience practitioner Jess Molloy cites text-to-speech plugins like ReadSpeaker, which have the same capabilities as accessible game engines. ReadSpeaker can be integrated into web games and platforms to automatically convert text to speech and improve accessibility, inclusion, and engagement for all gamers.

Overall, video game creators, designers, and developers greatly benefit from working with people with disabilities who can provide feedback and ensure the game is playable to all end-users. Having disabled people in the team itself is also instrumental in ensuring accessibility is embedded into the game development process, from brainstorming and design to playtesting and launch.