Before this past week, I haven’t really paid much attention to the importance of accessibility in game design. There are many different aspects that fall under accessibility.  The more accessible a game is then the more people would want to play.  Accessibility can mean that the controls of the game and how they are mapped out are easy to learns and they make sense for the player. It can also mean that objectives and other things in the game are clear and easy to identify within the game so that is it not frustrating for the player.  Giving the players and options menu where they can adjust settings is important and an easy way for players to adjust their gameplay to their liking. These aspects of accessibility are things that I feel like I’ve never really taken the time to really notice or appreciate.  When playing, I would always assume that these things would always be included within any or most games. When it comes to accessibility, I feel that one of the most important things that is often overlooked is adding accessible features that include people with disabilities.  A simple feature could be having the option for subtitles or having a color bind option people can choose from. These small and simple options can be the difference between having people with certain disabilities be able to enjoy and play your game or not.

Recently Dead by Daylight came to mobile and even added a new feature to the game.  Normally, DBD relies a lot on sound.  You hear the sound of your heartbeat when the killer is near.  Since it is much harder to hear this sound through a phone, the mobile version of the game has a feature where you can see the glow of your heart in your character when the killer is nearby.  I feel that this feature should be an option in the normal version of the game for those who don’t hear well or can’t hear at all.  I feel that in order for more game developers to be mindful of these features, there should be more people who have disabilities that are included in the playtesting phase of games.

Works Cited

“A Straightforward Reference for Inclusive Game Design.” Game Accessibility Guidelines, gameaccessibilityguidelines.com/.