Every December, we take a moment to reflect on International Day of Persons with Disabilities, a day dedicated to raising awareness, fostering understanding, and advocating for the equal participation of individuals with disabilities in every facet of society and development. At Xbox, we’re committed to making play a key part of society that’s within reach for everyone. Our mission is to craft gaming experiences that bring people together, allowing them to enjoy their favorite games on their terms, and in the company of communities they love.
Today, and every day, we want to shine a light on the incredible contributions from the Gaming and Disability community. These members have been instrumental in working with us to create more accessible gaming experiences across a range of projects. One standout is Stan Adermann, Principal Firmware Engineer at Team Xbox. Stan’s personal experience with disability ignited a passion for developing our latest controller remapping capabilities.
Stan elaborates, "I have mild Essential Tremor and suffer from hand pain after years of software development. Some PC games intensified these issues, spurring me to explore ways to simplify controller usage for myself and other players facing similar challenges. Thus, emerged options like mapping mouse movements to controllers and the toggle hold feature. Designing the ability to remap joystick movements to buttons or keyboard keys was also crucial."
From the introduction of the Xbox Adaptive Joystick and 3D printable adaptive thumbstick toppers via Xbox Design Lab to other innovative updates, we’re thrilled to remove more barriers for players across our platforms and games. These strides are made possible thanks to the invaluable insights from people with disabilities, who have been pivotal in shaping inclusive gaming.
Customizing Your Experience with Xbox Controllers
Remapping is key to accessibility, letting players personalize the function of any button on a keyboard, mouse, or controller to fit their needs and preferences. With this in mind, we’ve introduced fresh remapping features in the Xbox Accessories App for both the Xbox Elite Series 2 Controller and the Xbox Adaptive Controller:
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Toggle Holds: This nifty option simplifies gaming for those who find sustained button presses challenging, akin to the sticky keys function on a computer. It ensures any button stays activated until released with another press.
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Map Stick Movement to Buttons: Now, you can assign directional movements on your joystick or thumbstick to specific button presses, customizing your gaming experience more than ever.
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Mouse Input Mapping: Want to navigate gaming and non-gaming scenarios like checking emails or watching guides on YouTube with ease? You can now map controller movements to mouse actions, including clicks.
- Hat Switch Mapping: For those using joysticks with a hat switch, you can now configure it to act as a complementary joystick when paired with the Xbox Adaptive Controller.
Enhancing Visual Accessibility in Diablo IV
Diablo IV’s development team, led by accessibility advocate Drew McCrory, prioritized accessibility throughout its creation. Expanding its robust accessibility suite, recent updates primarily benefit players who are blind or have low vision:
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Auto-Pin: Automatically adds a map pin for your current quest or task from your in-game Journal.
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Audio Navigation Assistance: Provides directional audio cues for navigation, perfect for tracking destinations when paired with the auto-pin feature.
- Compass Feature: Adds an on-screen compass that consistently directs you toward your quest’s pin, complementing the auto-pin functionality.
These inclusive features have earned Diablo IV a nomination for the "Innovation in Accessibility" category at the 2024 Game Awards.
Accessibility in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
The latest installment in the Call of Duty franchise introduces innovative accessibility features like asymmetrical hearing compensation and enhanced high-contrast modes. Developed in close collaboration with accessibility advocates, the game also retains beloved features from Modern Warfare III, such as joystick settings and motion blur reduction.
New additions allow players to modify spider-like enemies through the arachnophobia settings, choose different HUD layouts, and utilize Intelligent Movement settings to tailor their gaming experience.
Honoring Ibelin in World of Warcraft
To celebrate the launch of “The Remarkable Life of Ibelin” on Netflix, World of Warcraft introduced the Reven pack, inspired by Mats “Ibelin” Steen, a Norwegian player with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. By purchasing the charming Reven companion, players support CureDuchenne, a nonprofit advancing research and care for those with this progressive neuromuscular disease.
For further information on inclusive design at Microsoft, explore more here.
By continuing to champion accessibility, we hope to empower every player to dive into the games they love and find joy in gaming communities worldwide.
