Disability acceptance and accessibility inclusion are hot topics in the gaming industry. Ian Hamilton and Tara Voelker, the co-directors and founders of The Game Accessibility Conference, aim to educate developers and disabled players alike on the intricacies of accessible game design and proper disability inclusion. Since its launch, the conference added a European event, as well as hosted presentations from developers at Sony, EA, Microsoft, and even from the FCC. But aside from educating the public, many talks and panels explore the meaningful connections between games and disabled individuals.
“Accessibility talks at mainstream dev events had stagnated, and the events themselves weren’t really interested in pushing it forward,” said Voelker. “It was always at the 101 level, in part because more advanced talks being submitted to the conferences were being rejected or told to make it more introductory. That was incredibly frustrating to see. By having a dedicated conference, we could ensure those talks had a space.”
The event began in 2017, and since then, GA Conference has been a leader in promoting inclusion and accessibility in gaming. This year, the conference hosted a range of talks, including a session with Insomniac Games, a ten-year reflection on accessibility from Steve Saylor, and a panel discussing the barriers that those with motor disabilities encounter while gaming.
Other notable highlights include the origins and success of Can I Play That, a gaming news and review site focused on accessibility, presented by founder and owner Courtney Craven, as well as a brief discussion hosted by Ian Hamilton on incorrect assumptions about game difficulty, barriers, and accessibility.
(All information was provided by Wired)
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