Accessibility is a growing priority in the artistic community. Across mediums, artists share a desire to open powerful experiences to a wider audience. This means building accessibility into the creative process, but without compromising the overall aesthetics or meaning of any given piece.
This balance can sometimes be difficult to strike within the vast world of gaming, where intricate details and expansive worldbuilding coalesce with a rapid pace of gameplay. These elements could easily cause problems for gamers with a range of impairments, including visual, auditory, cognitive, or mobility concerns.
These issues should not prevent players from enjoying the visual appeal and deeper meaning of game art. Thankfully, by drawing on universal design principles, today’s gaming leaders can cultivate experiences that welcome a wider variety of players.
Understanding Accessibility in Game Art
Accessibility represents far more than a gaming buzzword. This term references the need for gaming experiences that can be seamlessly navigated and enjoyed by a wide range of users, regardless of whether they have physical or cognitive disabilities or whether they deal with various visual or hearing impairments.
Accessibility consultant Ian Hamilton explains that misconceptions have long plagued this practice, that the effort to boost accessibility is “expensive and involves diluting down your vision.” Speaking to the influence of accessibility, Hamilton explains, “The decisions we make as designers, developers and content producers have way more impact on people’s lives than most people working in the industry [realize].”
What Is Accessibility in Gaming?
Applied to gaming, accessibility determines how easily various users can understand and control games. The goal of accessibility in gaming is to make these experiences widely available and enjoyable, but without hampering the overall vision or quality of top games.
Speaking broadly to the value of accessibility, the National Center on Accessible Educational Materials (AEM) explains that materials and technologies qualify as accessible when a person with a disability can “acquire the same information [and] engage in the same interactions…with substantially equivalent ease of use” as an individual without a disability. Beyond this, materials are only deemed accessible if users with disabilities can engage in said experiences in an “equally effective, equally integrated” manner.
Common Challenges Faced by Players
Players face many challenges that prevent them from fully embracing otherwise promising game experiences. Insights from AbleGamers suggest that over 46 million players have disabilities, although many others also struggle to navigate games regardless of disability status. Many conditions or disabilities can impact gaming, including:
- Visual and auditory impairments
- Neurodiversity, such as autism spectrum disorder
- Paralysis or other mobility impairments
- Vestibular issues such as motion sickness
Inclusive Design Principles for Game Art
Accessible game art draws heavily on the principles of inclusive design, driving the clarity and adaptability of gaming resources and experiences. The ultimate goal is to create game art that a wide range of players can enjoy but that also elevates the overall gaming experience.
A report in the Journal of Consumer Psychology clarifies that inclusive design “considers the needs and capabilities of the whole population” to prevent a potential mismatch between what designed materials promise and what audiences or users actually experience. No formula can reliably guarantee inclusivity in something as subjective as game art, but these principles help:
Using High-Contrast Visuals
Contrast has long brought compelling visuals to the gaming experience, using purposeful differences in color, brightness or other visual elements to ensure that central features stand out. This delivers not only dynamic aesthetics, but also an element of visual clarity that could be extra important for users with disabilities.
Color contrast, for example, can help players distinguish between different elements, although this alone will not be sufficient, given the realities of color vision deficiencies. Edge definition offers further contrast, preventing key elements from blending into the background. Some games offer specially designed high-contrast modes to boost visibility for user interface (UI) components or environmental hazards.
Color Accessibility
High contrast can help, but additional features may be needed to bring compelling visuals to users with color vision impairments. Screen-wide color filters cannot be expected to address this problem in its entirety. Rather, color accessibility should be built into the structure of the game.
Patterns, shapes, and symbols can all be useful for revealing crucial details or establishing a compelling aesthetic. Features such as heads-up display (HUD) elements can prevent games from relying entirely on colors to convey important information.
Readable Typography
Typography plays a more significant role in the gaming experience than many people realize. This helps to guide users through the gaming experience while reinforcing core themes. Unfortunately, text also has the potential to clutter the gaming environment or simply confuse players. Therein lies the need for legible typography, complete with sans-serif fonts and high contrast. Adjustable text can provide additional assistance, but ideally, most players will easily make sense of the standard typography.
Tools and Technologies for Accessible Game Art
While the previously discussed principles can provide a valuable blueprint to promote inclusivity in all stages of game design, additional tools may be needed to confirm that developers actually live up to their promises of providing accessible gaming experiences. Beyond this, assistive technologies can be provided to address any lingering accessibility concerns that cannot be overcome through design alone.
Accessibility Testing Tools
Accessibility testing determines whether game designers achieve their stated intentions of making games accessible to (and enjoyable for) a wide range of players. This is one of the most effective strategies for identifying and addressing accessibility gaps.
Prior to testing, it is essential to consider game accessibility guidelines (GAG) to establish benchmarks. From there, developers can use a range of testing tools and strategies (such as user experience testing platforms or color blindness simulators) to determine how different types of users might navigate or enjoy games, especially when accessible features or modes are enabled. Similarly, tests can be performed using screen readers to confirm that text remains easy to read and understand.
Assistive Technologies in Gaming
Assistive technologies can help overcome difficult-to-address accessibility concerns that might otherwise stand in the way of desired aesthetics or gameplay mechanics. From eye-tracking technologies to strategically designed joysticks, many exciting assistive options are available. These should not be pursued in lieu of inclusive design but can certainly support an accessible gaming experience.
Examples of Accessibility in Game Art
Games can transport players to worlds they never dreamed of visiting, but nothing can snap someone out of the fantasy quicker than a visual disruption that ruins the experience. Thankfully, many developers have integrated impressive accessibility options into their games. Promising examples reveal the creative possibilities for bringing accessibility to the forefront.
Games With Exceptional Visual Accessibility Features
Many exciting games reveal that accessibility does not have to come at the cost of aesthetics or gameplay quality. In fact, well-designed accessibility features in games can enhance these elements. Examples of games that stand out as accessibility leaders include:
- The Last of Us Part II. Naughty Dog serves as a leading advocate for accessibility in games, and they went all out to provide a fantastic gameplay experience for as many people as possible with The Last of Us Part II. Several in-game settings can be altered to adjust heads-up displays and other user interface elements. Three colorblind options are also available, offering settings for Protanopia, Deuteranopia and Tritanopia.
- Celeste. With a reputation as one of the toughest platformers around, Celeste goes out of its way to make sure that challenges feel fair. This game looks downright incredible while played in photosensitive mode, which disables screen flashes and other visual effects that some users could find troublesome.
Studios Leading the Charge in Accessibility
Accessibility is beginning to feel less like a game-by-game pursuit and, instead, a widespread effort. Many studios consistently demonstrate an emphasis on inclusive design, revealed through consistently accessible offerings.
- Naughty Dog. The studio behind the Uncharted and Last of Us franchises put an emphasis on accessibility from the beginning of the design process. Senior producer Sam Thompson explains that the “most important rule in inclusive design is to start the process as early as possible during development.” This ensures that the gameplay experience always feels natural and that accessibility options don’t come off as last-minute additions.
- Ubisoft. Industry leader Ubisoft has an entire team devoted to ensuring that games are as accessible as possible. This is best evidenced by cutting-edge games such as Assassin’s Creed: Mirage, promising a wide range of accessibility options to suit many types of players.
- Microsoft. For over a decade, Microsoft has prioritized accessibility within the culture of Xbox. The Xbox Adaptive Controller, released in 2018, was a first-of-its-kind device dedicated to bringing console gaming to a broader audience. Since then, the Xbox brand has championed several accessible games, such as Gears 5 and Halo Infinite. Another standout is the Forza franchise of racing games, which makes excellent use of spatial audio.
Collaboration for Inclusive Game Art
Inclusive game art represents a collaborative effort, with many talented professionals joining forces to ensure that games achieve high standards for accessibility. While in-depth training can help, even the most conscientious game designers may have gaps in knowledge that make it difficult to touch on the full range of accessibility concerns. Thankfully, many excellent resources are available.
Engaging With Accessibility Consultants
Accessibility consultants provide a wealth of insight into the oft-missed concerns that can make games feel less inviting to diverse populations. These experts can perform in-depth assessments or otherwise offer guidance to ensure that game designers and developers make the most of accessibility opportunities. Consultants may also guide the user testing process, helping developers gather first hand feedback from a variety of players.
Involving the Community
Whenever possible, developers should seek insights from the gaming public. This can reveal both strengths and deficits as they relate to accessibility. This effort may begin with surveys, which provide a chance to express personal experiences and preferences. Developers may seek more in-depth insights via focus groups or by conducting interviews. User testing completes this process, helping to bridge the gap between design theories or principles and the actual experience of navigating a particular game.
Balancing Accessibility with Aesthetic Goals
Gaming accessibility skeptics worry that the inclusive design movement is inherently at odds with the artistic priorities. In reality, however, there is room for both aesthetic achievement and accessible experiences, as we reveal below.
Finding the Sweet Spot
Game artists and designers should clearly define and clarify a vision for their creative work, guided by the game’s narrative and a deeper sense of meaning. Within that vision, however, there is room for accessibility, especially from a visual standpoint. This effort may actually look quite similar to another balance designers need to strike, which is blending the artistic and functional components of the gaming experience. In both pursuits, customization options and environmental cues can make a world of difference, all while preserving desired aesthetics.
Examples of Seamless Integration
Many promising games prove that compelling visuals and accessibility can be achieved and that these qualities can actually amplify one another. Examples include:
- Forza Horizon 5 (Playground Games). A multitude of different visual accessibility settings are available immediately upon beginning Forza Horizon 5, as the game tosses players right into the action without a standard opening menu screen. Best of all, these additions (such as colorblind sliders, high contrast mode, and larger in-game text) are blended seamlessly into the gameplay experience.
- Apex Legends (Respawn Entertainment). Multiplayer games are often overlooked within the gaming accessibility movement, but that’s not the case with EA’s Apex Legends. Voice-to-chat text fills players in on squadmates’ conversations, with players also encouraged to explore numerous visual assist settings.
- Minecraft (Mojang Studios). Minecraft is one of the most popular games of all time, thanks, in part, to its inherently accessible structure, which may be especially appealing to players with autism spectrum disorder or other sensory concerns. Players can download mods or tools such as Minecraft Access and TrueBlindCraft which may help navigate the entire game with relative ease.
- Spider-Man: Miles Morales (Insomniac Games). Insomniac’s web-slinging masterpiece is one of the few games to feature a deaf character. She communicates via sign language, with options available to narrate the subtitled sign language. This thoughtful approach shows how far games have come in terms of accessibility features as well as representation.
- Animal Crossing: New Horizons (Nintendo). Because Nintendo designs games to suit the largest audiences possible, these naturally feel more accessible than most. In Animal Crossing: New Horizons, everything is big, bold and bright, and sound design cues make interacting within the environment easier for those with visual impairments.
Future of Accessibility in Game Art
We are merely in the infancy of the gaming accessibility movement. The industry has come a long way, but many players still struggle to embrace the gaming experience. As new technologies become available, game artists and designers uncover new ways to reach a broader audience. That being said, new challenges can also be expected, especially as certain technological breakthroughs (such as virtual and augmented reality) introduce distinct accessibility concerns.
Trends in Inclusive Design
Exciting technologies promise to elevate inclusive design, allowing artists, designers and developers to bring ambitious accessibility goals to life. Among the most promising trends include:
- Adaptive controllers. While many of the inclusive options highlighted above provide visual or auditory aids, some users may require additional assistance with their controllers. Thankfully, many excellent options have been released, along with several promising controllers in development. Microsoft’s Proteus Controller, for example, provides “snap and play” functionality and remappable buttons, accommodating one-handed gamers and players with many other disabilities.
- Assistive AI. Offering everything from described visuals to enhanced voice controls, AI-driven features can elevate gameplay, overcoming previous limitations to help games feel both immersive and accessible. Moving forward, AI may shape accessibility features in games, although it will still be necessary for designers to maintain a focus on inclusivity throughout the entire design and development journey.
Encouraging Industry Standards
While many individual developers have demonstrated a clear commitment to promoting accessibility in gaming, unfortunately, this is not yet prioritized across the industry. Other developers cite a desire to improve accessibility in video games but struggle to make good on these intentions, often due to a simple lack of understanding or resources.
Industry standards could help resolve this, offering a blueprint to guide accessibility efforts. Accessibility-focused gamers and designers can advocate for expanded accessibility standards while also making an effort to abide by those already established via industry authorities such as the International Game Developers Association.
Universal Design Principles in Game Art: Create Inclusive Worlds With RMCAD
Would you like to act as an advocate for accessibility in video games? Discover the secrets to inclusive design — the Game Art Degree Program at Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design (RMCAD) will provide a powerful introduction, along with opportunities to put universal design principles into action.
Offering fascinating insights into the many trends, technologies and creative possibilities that shape modern game art, RMCAD can help you develop the skills and knowledge needed to create game art that feels both accessible and meaningful to a wide audience. Get in touch to learn more about our online and on-campus programs.