The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) has kicked off a new program called the Accessible Games Initiative that aims to help gamers easily find out what accessibility features are in video games before making a purchase.
Unveiled on March 20, at the Game Developers Conference (GDC), this collaborative effort brings together major players in the gaming industry to create a standard system for showing which games have features that help people with disabilities.
The initiative launches with some heavyweight founding members, including Electronic Arts, Google, Microsoft, Nintendo of America, and Ubisoft. They’ve been joined by other big names like Amazon Games, Riot Games, Square Enix, and Warner Bros. Games.
ESA president Stanley Pierre-Louis explained the importance of this move: “Tens of millions of Americans have a disability and often face barriers to experiencing the joy and connection that comes with playing video games.” He continued, “We are immensely proud to announce the Accessible Games Initiative in partnership with industry leaders.”
At the heart of the program are 24 different “tags” that clearly describe specific accessibility features in games. These tags make it quick and easy for players to spot if a game has the features they need, such as:
- Clear text, Large Text
- Large and clear subtitles
- Color Alternatives
- Camera Comfort
- Narrated menus
- Save anytime
- Multiple Volume Controls, Mono Sound, Stereo Sound, Surround Sound
- Chat Speech-to-Text & Text-to-Speech
- Difficulty Levels
- Basic Input Remapping, Full Input Remapping, Stick Inversion
- Playable without Button Holds, Playable without Rapid Button Presses
- Playable with Keyboard Only, Playable with Mouse Only, Playable with Buttons Only, Playable with Touch Only
- Playable Without Motion Controls, Playable Without Touch Controls
Gamers will start seeing these standardized tags pop up in digital game stores and on product pages. Nintendo’s website points out a key benefit: “You no longer need to worry about guessing what a tag means for individual games across participating gaming storefronts, and you can better know what to expect before you buy a game.”
The ESA will manage this initiative, which was developed with input from players with disabilities, accessibility advocates, and game developers. The tags come with clear definitions and criteria to ensure consistency across all participating companies.
This effort addresses a significant need, as the 2022 U.S. Census estimates that about 44.1 million Americans have disabilities. Many of these individuals struggle to enjoy video games due to a lack of clear information about accessibility features.
Nintendo of America stated they will be introducing these tags in their My Nintendo Store in the future. While implementation timelines will vary by company, all participants will use the same tag definitions, creating consistency across platforms.
Currently, the tags are only available in U.S. English, but the initiative may add more tags or updates based on community feedback and new technology developments.
For more information about the Accessible Games Initiative and to see the complete list of tags and their definitions, you can visit www.accessiblegames.com.
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