Xbox Elevates Gaming Accessibility with New Updates and Partnerships

game accessibility logo

Xbox is committed to making gaming accessible to everyone, including the 429 million players with disabilities. They celebrated this commitment by partnering with Special Olympics in a tournament called “Gaming for Inclusion.” This event aimed to showcase the power of inclusion through gaming and empower Special Olympics athletes through technology.

Xbox is prioritizing accessibility in gaming and has introduced several updates, including recognizing Craig Hospital’s Adaptive Gaming Program, sharing new accessibility features, unveiling the Playbook for Accessible Gaming Events, highlighting the Accessibility in Games channel in the Xbox store, and expanding the Xbox Ambassador Accessibility Explorer Path.

One major update is the ability to remap controller buttons to keyboard keys, making it easier for players with limited mobility to use the Xbox Adaptive Controller with games that typically require a mouse and keyboard. Additionally, there are new accessibility settings for Xbox gaming on PC.

Players will soon be able to remap controller buttons to almost 90 keyboard keys on the Xbox Adaptive Controller and Elite Series 2, allowing players with limited mobility to use the Xbox Adaptive Controller with games that only support mouse/keyboard input.  For example, a player can remap the Left Bumper on their controller to the Keyboard C key, Ctrl + C, or Ctrl + Shift + C, etc.

Xbox has also introduced an “Accessibility in Games” channel in the Xbox Store, making it easier for players to find games with accessibility features. This allows players to filter and sort games based on accessibility features.

The Microsoft Gaming Accessibility Testing Service (MGATS) program helps developers and publishers validate the accessibility of their games by getting feedback from players with disabilities. This program aims to ensure that games are accessible to all.

Finally, Xbox has made various games more accessible, including Forza Motorsport, Sea of Thieves, and Age of Empires IV. These games now include innovative accessibility features to accommodate players with different needs.

In addition, Xbox is promoting games created by and reflecting the experiences of neurodiverse individuals and people with disabilities, ensuring a more inclusive gaming ecosystem. This initiative includes collections on the Microsoft Store and Xbox Game Pass.

Definitely head to the source link below to learn more details about each of these announcements and features!

Source: Xbox

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published.


*


This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.