ESA Launches Initiative for Accessible Gaming Information

The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) has unveiled the Accessible Games Initiative, a groundbreaking "tag" system designed to enhance video game accessibility information for consumers. Announced at the Game Developers Conference, this initiative stems from a collaborative effort by industry giants including Electronic Arts, Google, Microsoft, Nintendo, Sony, and Ubisoft, with additional support from Amazon, Riot Games, Square Enix, and WB Games. The ESA will oversee the management of this initiative.

Under this new system, participating video game companies will use a set of 24 approved tags to label their games. These tags will be prominently displayed near the game's project information on digital storefronts and product pages, providing clear accessibility details to potential buyers. The tags cover a wide range of features, such as "clear text," "large and clear subtitles," "narrated menus," "stick inversion," "save anytime," "difficulty levels," and "playable without button holds," among others.

Stanley Pierre-Louis, ESA president and CEO, emphasized the significance of the initiative, stating, "Tens of millions of Americans have a disability and often face barriers to experiencing the joy and connection that comes with playing video games. We are immensely proud to announce the Accessible Games Initiative in partnership with industry leaders. This initiative demonstrates how impactful we can be when we work together in our industry-wide pursuit of helping more people experience the power of play."

The rollout of these tags will occur gradually, on a company-by-company basis, and they are not mandatory. Initially, the tags will be available only in English, but the ESA plans to develop more tags and adjust existing ones as needed over time.

Accessible Games Initiative Tags:

Auditory Features

Tag: Multiple Volume Controls

Description: Separate volume controls are available for different types of sounds. Players can adjust the volume individually for music, speech, sound effects, background audio, text-to-speech audio, accessibility audio cues, and voice chat. Additionally, all game sounds can be adjusted simultaneously using one volume control.

Tag: Mono Sound

Description: This feature allows players to use mono audio, sending the same audio to all channels, such as both left and right headphones, providing a single, combined audio channel.

Tag: Stereo Sound

Description: Players can enjoy stereo audio, where sounds indicate their left or right origin but do not convey vertical or depth positioning.

Tag: Surround Sound

Description: This tag enables players to experience surround sound, where audio cues can come from any direction, enhancing immersion.

Tag: Narrated Menus

Description: Players can use screen readers or voice narration for navigating menus and notifications. All menus are accessible via screen readers, with interactions and context changes announced through narration, allowing for item-by-item menu navigation.

Tag: Chat Speech-to-Text & Text-to-Speech

Description: This feature supports text-to-speech and speech-to-text for in-game chats, enabling real-time narration of text chats and real-time text transcripts of voice chats. This tag includes both auditory and visual features.

Gameplay Features

Tag: Difficulty Levels

Description: Players can choose from multiple difficulty settings, including at least one option that lowers the challenge intensity. The differences between difficulty levels are clearly described.

Tag: Save Anytime

Description: Players can manually save their progress at any time, except when the game is saving or loading, or if saving could lead to game-breaking scenarios or blocked progress.

Input Features

Tag: Basic Input Remapping

Description: Players can rearrange button controls, either by swapping them or using another method. This is distinct from the "Full Input Remapping" tag, which allows remapping of all game controls across all supported input methods.

Tag: Full Input Remapping

Description: This feature allows players to assign any game action to any control across all supported input methods, including keyboard, mouse, controllers, and virtual on-screen controllers. Controller stick functionality can also be swapped.

Tag: Stick Inversion

Description: Players can invert directional inputs like thumbsticks or flight sticks, affecting how up, down, left, and right movements are interpreted in the game.

Tag: Playable without Button Holds

Description: The game can be played without the need to hold digital inputs like keys or buttons, although some analog inputs may still require holding.

Tag: Playable without Rapid Button Presses

Description: This feature allows players to avoid repetitive button actions such as button mashing or quick-time events.

Tag: Playable with Keyboard Only

Description: The game can be fully played using only a keyboard, without the need for any other devices.

Tag: Playable with Mouse Only

Description: Players can use only a mouse to play the game, including support for adaptive technologies that map to mouse inputs.

Tag: Playable with Buttons Only

Description: The game and menus can be controlled using only digital inputs like buttons or keys, where pressure does not affect the controls.

Tag: Playable with Touch Only

Description: Players can control the game using only touch controls, without the need for non-touch inputs such as buttons or analog sticks.

Tag: Playable Without Motion Controls

Description: This tag indicates that the game can be played without using motion controls.

Tag: Playable Without Touch Controls

Description: Players can enjoy the game without the need for touchpads or touchscreens.

Visual Features

Tag: Chat Speech-to-Text & Text-to-Speech

Description: This feature supports text-to-speech and speech-to-text for in-game chats, enabling real-time narration of text chats and real-time text transcripts of voice chats. This tag includes both auditory and visual features.

Tag: Clear Text

Description: Text in menus, control panels, and settings is displayed at a reasonable size with adjustable contrast. The font is less stylized or can be changed to a less stylized option, ensuring readability.

Tag: Large Text

Description: Players can adjust the font size for text in menus, control panels, and settings to a large size, enhancing visibility.

Tag: Large & Clear Subtitles

Description: Subtitles are available for all dialogue, displayed at a reasonable size with adjustable background transparency. Subtitles do not overlap with important game elements and use less stylized fonts.

Tag: Color Alternatives

Description: Important information is communicated without relying solely on color, or color can be adjusted. Alternative methods such as shape, pattern, icons, or text are used to convey information.

Tag: Camera Comfort

Description: The game does not include camera effects that may cause discomfort or harm, such as shaking, swaying, bobbing, motion blur, camera speed, or forced narrative-based movement, or these effects can be adjusted or turned off.