• RSS
This is a living document. Feel free to get in touch with any feedback, thoughts or questions. close

Game accessibility guidelines

  • Basic
  • Intermediate
  • Advanced
  • Full list
  • Why and how

Use an easily readable default font size

With how small the text is in games like GTA V, everything turns out blurred and unclear. I accidentally spent $4, 500 on a car because of that.
Africa_Whale, via Reddit

The immersion (and fun, which is what I play games for) has been completely shattered when I need to concentrate to see what that tiny little word on the lower right corner screen of the tv says. It’s just no longer fun, much less immersive.
visiny, via Reddit

Vision (basic)

Small text size is a very common complaint amongst people with vision impairments, whether medical (such as long sightedness) or situational (such as small mobile screen, or a living room that does not physically allow for a large TV close to a couch).

As players have a wide range of abilities and preferences and viewing environments, Allowing a choice of font size is the ideal solution. But if this is not possible, setting a large default size is a good first step.

Amazon TV have 10-foot-UI guidelines that include text size recommendations, of 28px minimum when viewed on a 1080p screen. When viewed on an average size screen this tallies for what would be expected for someone with 20/20 vision while using the Snellen Chart. However because it does not take any degree of vision impairment into account, use 28px as a minimum rather than a target, aim to exceed it wherever possible.

Cognitive (basic)

Small fonts are not only difficult to see, they are also more difficult to read for conditions such as dyslexia, due to the differences between letter shapes being less pronounced at smaller pixel sizes.

Best practice example: Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime
Best practice example: Guacamelee!

More information: Amazon TV UI guidelines

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.

SEARCH

Contact

Send us email
© Copyright - Game accessibility guidelines - Wordpress Theme by Kriesi.at