This week we discussed accessibility in video games, meaning not only how people can access your game in order to play, but how people with disabilities can access your game. To begin, we played The Jackbox Party Pack during class, a game that only requires one copy to play online with friends. Additionally, the game is played through a browser window on any internet device, including computers, phones, and tablets, thus no extra components are required to play with up to 10,000 people online. I have personally been supporting the Jackbox Games company ever since their first party pack, and have always been amazed at the way these games can bring people together due to their simplicity and accessibility. These games are (as the name implies) great for parties, and I have played these games with friends and family many times. People I know who aren’t too keen on video games, such as my aunts, uncles, and even my grandparents love these games, and they have practically become a staple of family gatherings. Nights go by quite quickly when playing these games with friends, and having introduced these games to many friends and meeting people through playing these games has convinced me that these games are the closest you can get to accessibility to everyone. The small cost and insanely high replayability factor of the games is something to be admired and studied by the games industry, and from a strictly gameplay perspective, is a perfect example of how to make something everyone can enjoy. On the other hand of accessibility comes making the game available to play by people who may have disabilities or otherwise may have trouble playing video games. We can see this exemplified by most games having subtitles for the hearing impaired, such as with The Jackbox Party Packs, which also have family friendly options that remove the raunchier options from the games. While these accessibility options don’t affect me personally, it is always wonderful to see gamers playing games in any way they can, making accessibility a big factor for game developers and studios. Some examples that pop into my mind are the multitude of color blind options in “Overwatch”, which accounts for several different diagnosed variants of color blindness, such as Deuteranopia, Protanopia, and Tritanopia. Another example is with the Xbox Adaptive controller which we discussed in class, which is a large, programmable controller that allows the user to map their buttons onto the controller in any way they please. On top of this, some highly dedicated players with disabilities have found their own ways to enjoy their favorite video games. Just one of these players, known as “handi” on twitch, plays “Counter Strike: Global Offensive” using special key bindings despite being born without arms or legs. Accessibility doesn’t stop with the players either, as sometimes developers honor and embrace their community of disabled players by adding items or characters to their games that acknowledge disabled players. This can be seen with “Overcooked!” featuring a chef character that works in a wheelchair, and in “Animal Crossing: New Horizons” with the wheelchair item, helping some players feel more at home in their virtual world. Accessibility of video games can mean many different things, but is incredibly important to consider in order to reach the widest audience.