Data has shown that a significant percentage of persons with disabilities play video games. The state of accessibility in gaming has become a bigger discussion throughout the industry as the barriers some gamers face have become more apparent.
On March 13, 2022, the second annual Video Game Accessibility Awards (VGAA) was streamed to recognize the studios that did the most to improve accessibility in their games in 2021. Nine awards were granted, each representing a different aspect of accessibility in gaming.
The results VGAA 2021
Ability to bypass
The ability to bypass gives players the option to bypass sections of a game that may be impeding their progress. For example, those that require sequential complex actions.
This year's Ability to Bypass award went to "Life is Strange: True Colors," developed by Deck Nine and published by Square Enix.
AI assistance
AI assistance is typically built in to help players overcome challenges in a game. The AI Assistance award went to "Forza Horizon 5," developed by Playground Games and published by Xbox Game Studios.
Clear text
This award is for games with accessible text content in interfaces and throughout the game.
The Clear Text award went to "Halo Infinite," developed by 343 Industries and published by Xbox Game Studios.
Improved precision
Studios invest in improving precision to give their gameplay an edge, but it can be a difficult nut to crack. The improved precision award recognizes games that allow players to adjust sensitivity settings within a game to achieve the right amount of precision for the way they play.
The Improved Precision award went to "Far Cry 6," developed by Ubisoft Toronto and published by Ubisoft.
Input reduction
Input reduction allows players to reduce the amount of input needed to execute actions and sequences within the game.
The Input Reduction award went to "Before Your Eyes," developed by GoodbyeWorld Games and published by Skybound Games.
Peer assistance
The peer assistance award went to "It Takes Two," developed by Hazelight Studios and published by EA games.
The peer assistance award is offered to games that provide options to play with assistance from another human player.
Remapping
This award recognizes games that allow players to customize controls to play with the configuration that works best for them.
The Remapping award went to "Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker," by Square Enix.
Second channel
The second channel award recognizes games that provide alternative interfaces or options for players to access information needed to make progress in the game.
This year's award went to "Guardians of the Galaxy," developed by Eidos-Montrél and published by Square Enix, which was also later released on the Nintendo Switch.
Training grounds
This award is for games that provide a way for players to increase their in-game skills outside of normal gameplay.
The Training Grounds award went to "Halo Infinite," developed by 343 Industries and published by Xbox Games Studios.
Hope for the future of gaming
The results of the 2021 Video Game Accessibility Awards show that indie and major game studios are making significant efforts to make gaming more accessible. A handful of games address multiple common barriers. There is still a lot of progress that needs to be made throughout the industry, and the nominees and winners of VGAA 2021 can serve as an example to the rest of the industry.
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