ACCESSIBILITY

I can play.

Accessibility - I can play.

Create a product experience where customers can play and create.

What this means:

We create products that are accessible by design.

  • We create products where accessibility is woven into the fabric of what we design and build from Day 1 – and every day after.

  • We design beyond compliance to deliver usable and enjoyable experiences for all players.

Graphic showing that ~20% of players across the globe are players with disabilities.

Source: Accessibility.com 2022 State of Accessibility in Gaming​

Getting Started with Accessibility

How can you ensure customers can play and create?

​​​​​​​Questions to Consider

  • Is your team aware of what you need to do to achieve compliance, and have you discussed what you could do beyond compliance that will really delight customers and open doors of play?

  • Do you and your team understand the different types of disabilities and discuss customer experiences based on those personas?

  • Do you have a process to review designs that go beyond compliance and delight customers?

  • Do you have a process to review key decisions with the lens of accessible by design?
  • How do you ensure new designs and experiences are accessible during the early stages of development?

  • How discoverable are your settings and features? In particular, think of players new to gaming or a caregiver.

  • Are you documenting and sharing your accessibility features?

  • Are you sharing key accessible design decisions with your player community (eg: that your team isn't utilizing quick time events)? 

Metrics: Measuring Progress

The metrics below are meant to help jumpstart thinking about how a team might measure inclusion for Accessibility. Think of it as an example and go beyond it to find the metrics that work best for your project. Engage Data Science and User Research teams to see what data is available to you. If the data you need doesn’t exist yet, it’s a prime opportunity to start tracking it and understand how to open a door to Accessibility!

  • Usage of Accessibility Features: Metrics on how often accessibility features are used and by whom. Shows how many users benefit from accessible design.
     
  • Usability of Accessibility Features: Measuring the usability of an accessibility feature or capability. Shows user feedback on accessibility features.
     
  • User Ability Success Rate: Success rates of users with disabilities completing core tasks. Indicates how well the product supports users with various abilities.
  • Compliance with Legal Accessibility Standards: The degree to which the product meets legal accessibility standards. A baseline measure of accessibility compliance.
     
  • Support & Help Desk Tickets: Number of support tickets related to accessibility within your experience.

Product Inclusion Examples

Gamer Accessibility Feature Tags

Game Accessibility Feature Tags, available in the store and browse experiences, let players find and search for games that meet their needs!

Sea of Thieves Accessibility Feature Tag Detail page

Hi-Fi Rush's Rhythm Visualization & Accessibility Guide

Hi-Fi Rush’s rhythm visualization features help players see the beat instead of needing to hear it. And to help players Hi-Fi Rush published an Accessibility Guide.

Hi-Fi Rsh Screen Capture of how rhythm visualization features show on screen

Forza Motorsport Blind Driving Assists

Forza Motorsports Blind Driving Assists help players with low or no vision to navigate racetracks.

A yellow and blue car racing in Forza Motorsport image