Jul 13, 2021 - Economy

Reviews may not always help gamers with disabilities

Megan Farokhmanesh

Illustration of the handicap icon with the stick figure holding a gaming controller. — Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios

Reviews can help people decide which games to buy, but for some gamers with disabilities crucial questions about accessibility are not being answered by writers.

Why it matters: Whether or not a game includes options like alternative control schemes or color-coded systems can be a key factor in some people's abilities to play a game.

In response to a Twitter poll asking if people based game purchasing choices on website reviews, AbleGamers COO Steven Spohn said he does not, because "95% of reviews don't list accessibility to help me decide."

What they're saying: Accessibility advocate Steve Saylor echoed Spohn's sentiments.

"This is something I hope to see change (and participate in) on sites like IGN, Gamespot, Polygon, etc.," he tweeted.
"The more we talk about accessibility and include it as part of reviews, the more this will encourage studios to include accessibility as part of the design process."

Go deeper: More developers than ever are making accessible games

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Reviews may not always help gamers with disabilities

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