Every December, we take a moment to honor the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, which encourages a deeper understanding and involvement of people with disabilities in all facets of life. At Xbox, we hold the belief that gaming is a vital component of modern society and should be accessible to a broad audience. Our mission is to design inclusive experiences that allow players to enjoy their favorite games the way they want, alongside the communities they choose.
Today, and every day, we want to celebrate the invaluable contributions from the Gaming and Disability community. They’ve played a vital role in helping us co-create more accessible gaming experiences across numerous projects. One standout contributor from Team Xbox is Principal Firmware Engineer, Stan Adermann. His personal experience with disability inspired some groundbreaking controller features.
Stan shared, "I have mild Essential Tremor and hand pain from years of coding. Certain PC games worsened these issues, so I explored options to make controller use on PC more comfortable. Features like mapping mouse movements to controllers and toggle holds emerged as solutions. Mapping joystick moves to buttons or keys was also key."
From the newly unveiled Xbox Adaptive Joystick to 3D printable adaptive thumbstick toppers available via Xbox Design Lab, and more updates we’re thrilled to announce, the contributions of people with disabilities have been instrumental in crafting inclusive gaming experiences.
Remapping Options for Xbox Adaptive Controller and Elite Series 2
Remapping lets players adjust the default settings of keys on their devices to match individual preferences and needs, playing a crucial role in accessibility.
Recently, we’ve enhanced the Xbox Accessories App with new remapping features for the Xbox Elite Series 2 and Xbox Adaptive Controllers.
- Toggle holds: This function simplifies controller use for players who struggle with prolonged button presses. Similar to sticky keys, it lets players keep a button ‘held down’ until they press it again.
- Map stick movements to button presses: You can now link movements on Elite Series 2 thumbsticks or external joysticks to button or keyboard presses. For instance, pushing the stick up could act as pressing the "B" button.
- Map mouse inputs to the controller: Controller movements can now mimic mouse movements, and buttons can trigger mouse clicks. This integration allows using controllers as a substitute for a mouse and keyboard in various scenarios, gaming and otherwise.
- Map hat switch to alternate joystick: For joysticks with hat switches, you can now configure them to function as the opposite stick when used with the Xbox Adaptive Controller.
Visual Accessibility Updates for Diablo IV
During Diablo IV’s development, accessibility was at the forefront, thanks to Drew McCrory, the lead accessibility developer. In October, they broadened the accessibility features, focusing on assisting players who are blind or have low vision.
- Auto-Pin: Automatically pins a destination on the map for your chosen quest.
- Audio Navigation Assistance: Provides spatial audio cues directing you towards your map pin, pairing with the auto-pin feature for seamless navigation.
- Compass: An on-screen HUD that points players towards their destination, offering constant guidance in tandem with the auto-pin feature.
Diablo IV has been nominated for the “Innovation in Accessibility” award at the 2024 Game Awards. For more details, check out Blizzard’s complete blog post about these updates.
Accessibility Features in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
In Black Ops 6, Call of Duty introduced new accessibility features like asymmetrical hearing compensation, an enhanced high contrast mode, and an improved accessibility settings menu. Developing these features, the team worked closely with accessibility advocates to ensure their effectiveness. Familiar features from Modern Warfare III, such as motion blur reduction and joystick settings, remain included.
- Arachnophobia settings: Change up the look of spider-like enemies.
- HUD layout options: Additional customization for personalizing the heads-up display.
- Intelligent Movement settings: Provides more support for tailoring gaming experiences.
This effort has earned a nomination for the “Innovation in Accessibility” award from The Game Awards. Dive deeper into these features here.
Celebrating the Life of Ibelin in World of Warcraft
To honor the Netflix release of “The Remarkable Life of Ibelin” and Mats “Ibelin” Steen, a Norwegian World of Warcraft player with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, World of Warcraft introduced the Reven pack. “Reven” translates to “the fox” in Norwegian, and players can purchase this companion to support CureDuchenne, a notable nonprofit driving research and care for those with Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
Explore more about the Reven pack and how it supports CureDuchenne here.
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