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Game accessibility guidelines

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  • Full list
  • Why and how

Support text chat as well as voice for multiplayer

I have two deaf guildies, and if they want to raid, I’ll take the time to type out the instructions. If they can perform and do what they’re supposed to do, I don’t care if they can hear me or not.
Odhran, via World of Warcraft forums

Being mute means I can’t talk even if I wanted to especially not with a microphone, the solution to this is best answered with a chat system.
Foxes281, via reddit

Dota 2 went one better when they added the chat wheel, which supports a large range of subtitled tactical “shouts”, including the ability to add your own custom ones. This feature effectively negates both disability and language barriers.
Justin Cheadle, gamer & developer, deaf

Text chat allows players who are unable to hear or speak well enough to chat by voice to still communicate. It should not be used instead of voice that however, as that would exclude players who can’t read or see well enough to use text chat. Both options should be provided.

Text chat doesn’t necessarily mean typing, it can also mean pre-set phrases, as seen in Hearthstone and DOTA.

Best practice example: Hearthstone
Best practice example: Rocket League
Best practice example: Overwatch
Best practice example: World of Warcraft

All guidelines

Three cogs, smallest coghighlightedBasic
Three cogs, medium sized cog highlightedIntermediate
Three cogs, largest cog highlightedAdvanced
Three cogs, all  highlightedFull list
ExcelExcel checklist download

Help & advice

How to work with these guidelines

FCC Chairman's Award for Advancement in Accessibility
finalist 2016, tiga games industry awards
DFA foundation best practice award, Horizon Interactive Bronze Winner, 7-128 industry & community leader

About the guidelines

A collaborative effort between a group of studios, specialists and academics, to produce a straightforward developer friendly reference for ways to avoid unnecessarily excluding players, and ensure that games are just as fun for as wide a range of people as possible.

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