Xbox doubles down on its commitment to accessibility and offers a variety of tools for developers
“It’s more important than ever for developers to create games that represent all people.”
One of Microsoft’s most lauded aspects in recent years is its commitment to accessibility in video games, and we’re not just talking about the controller for people with accessibility issues, which is considered one of Time’s inventions of 2018. as well as small actions like introducing sign language in Forza Horizon 5 to cite just one of the company’s few examples.
Microsoft aims to create games that represent all experiences.“With more than 3 billion people playing video games, video games have the power to connect people from different geographies, cultures and demographics around the world. And with more than 400 million disabled players, it’s more important than ever for developers to create games. “It represents cultures and peoples,” he says.
That’s why Sarah Bond, corporate vice president of game creators ecosystem and experience at Microsoft, leveraged her presence at the Microsoft Talent Summit to share how it’s allowing developers to create more accessible games, and released several tools she detailed. :
- Updated Accessibility Feature Labels for games in the Xbox Store. Announced last fall, Accessibility Features Labels are designed to make it easier for players with disabilities to know if a game is right for them. Developers can tag accessibility features in their games using the Accessibility feature in the Game Metadata module. And a new feature based on community feedback now lets players search and filter tags, making it easier than ever to find a game they like.
- The Xbox Accessibility Guidelines (XAG) 3.0 update will include mental health information. Based on community and developer feedback, the Xbox Accessibility Guidelines (XAG) 3.0 update released in May will include a new guide to mental health, as well as information on motion sickness and expanded details on the size of the text. The Xbox Accessibility Guidelines are a checklist for designers and developers to verify the accessibility of a video game.
- Announcing a new Video Game Accessibility Resource Center for Developers. In May, Xbox will launch the Video Game Accessibility Resource Center, which will provide a wide array of resources to guide all things accessibility, including training, conversations, and popular graphics engines to assist developers at every stage of video game accessibility. .
- Announcing a “BuildAbility” world in Minecraft: Education Edition. In May, Minecraft: Education Edition will launch BuildAbility, a new accessibility-themed world created in collaboration with the Peel District School Board in Ontario, Canada. Students will meet a range of characters that reflect our real world, explore the barriers faced by people with disabilities, and learn how to identify and remove accessibility barriers in their schools and communities…all in the Minecraft universe.
Those interested can find more information in a statement Microsoft shared via its blog for developers.
Source: 3D Juegos
