James Brooks
For gamers with low vision, there are definite barriers to entry in a medium that relies heavily on sight. However, these barriers should not prevent visually impaired individuals from accessing and enjoying these applications. I follow a streamer named BlindIRL, who frequently spends hours playing Dwarf Fortress. Remarkably, he seldom mentions his legal blindness and appears so unaffected by his disability that it took me a long time to realize he was visually impaired. This highlights the importance of accessibility features that enable visually impaired gamers to participate and excel in gaming. I would like to see the gaming world evolve to such a degree that we never even realize the limitations of our fellow gamers.
In this article, I'll review a series of well-known games, assessing their level of accessibility specifically for people with low vision.
Dwarf Fortress
This will be a short assessment, but I wanted to discuss this game first since I mentioned a streamer who frequently plays it, and I personally have a soft spot for it. The more recent graphical version of Dwarf Fortress comes with no accessibility features right out of the box. The original ASCII version features a wide suite of mods for blind and low-vision "Urists," but as it stands, there are no options for the everyday gamer with low vision. Additionally, the UI and sprites in this game are microscopic, even for fully sighted players.
To be fair, the developers deserve some slack. This game features heavily programmed logic and has been continuously developed and improved since 2002, with an incredible level of detail. Only recently has it entered its fully graphical stage, and improvements to accessibility are likely to come. Barring that, the vast community of modders is likely to take up the task of adding such features.
Minecraft (Java Edition)
In the current iteration of Minecraft, the first thing greeting the user upon loading is an easily changeable option that allows for several types of narration. These include an option that resembles a screen reader, providing audio cues for selected components via the "Narrates All" option. For users with varying levels of disability, there is also the "Chat Only" option, which reads chat messages aloud. The fact that these options are presented immediately upon loading allows for a seamless transition into the game for people with low vision.
Additional accessibility features include a "High Contrast" mode, which helps both color-blind and low-vision users. One critique I have is that the "GUI Scale" option is hidden away in the Video Settings menu. Moreover, the first selected option reduces the scale of the user interface rather than increasing it. A more intuitive default—such as scaling up the UI—would be useful for users who may not want to use the narrator but still need slightly larger text to fully immerse themselves and easily read every part of the menu.
Overall, I would rate the accessibility of Minecraft (Java Edition) for PC on the higher end, though there is still room for improvement. Promoting accessibility options as the very first task for users is a huge bonus for those who don’t wish to navigate menus endlessly. However, a simple rescale of the already easy-to-read interface would be a significant improvement for low-vision users.
Helldivers II
We need more developers backed by large publishers to follow the example of Arrowhead Studios when it comes to making accessibility the rule, not the exception. Upon loading Helldivers II for the first time, users receive an immediate audio cue from a screen reader. Requiring users to turn screen reading off instead of on is a huge breakthrough, especially when most other developers seem content to let disabled users jump through hoops to access their product.
The game also features subtitle size options, adjustable text-to-speech speed, and an option to change the color of the aiming reticle. However, some downsides remain: there is no built-in aim assist or prominent target indicator, no option to change the size of menu text, and HUD scaling options are hidden in the video settings.
Sea of Thieves
The developers of Sea of Thieves are very community-focused when making development decisions, which is especially evident in their commitment to providing as many accessibility options as possible for gamers with all levels of disability.
The game is well-known for its integration with the Xbox Adaptive Controller, but when it comes to features for gamers with low vision, the developers go above and beyond. They provide narration for multiple levels of the game, including UI text, chat, emotes, and even the in-game compass. The game also offers various text size enhancements, allowing users to easily read the UI at any level of vision impairment.
Deep Rock Galactic
On the other side of the community-led development spectrum is Ghost Ship Games. Deep Rock Galactic is arguably one of the most community-driven games on the market today. For that reason, I would love to give them a favorable review in terms of accessibility. Unfortunately, the features simply aren’t there.
The game lacks built-in narration, and the UI scaling option—though it exists—only increases the font size to 150%, which is insufficient for many low-vision users. While there are options for users with color blindness (covering every type), photosensitivity, and various gameplay needs, options for low vision are lacking. Additionally, accessibility options are nested within the "Gameplay" tabs, which is a significant downside for users who already require assistance navigating menus.
Grounded
Obsidian is yet another developer who knows how to listen to their community and implement groundbreaking changes. Grounded is well-known for its "Arachnophobia Mode," which transforms in-game spiders into friendly, smooth orbs with eyes. However, it also features a wealth of other accessibility options for a variety of disabilities.
For gamers with low vision, Grounded includes built-in narration and a text size adjuster. Additionally, the game offers a colorblind mode that greatly enhances a user’s ability to highlight specific objects, benefiting both color-blind and visually impaired players.
Slay the Spire
Slay the Spire offers some of the most minimal game options in terms of customization, both for sighted individuals and those with low vision. The only option that comes close to addressing visual accessibility is the "Larger Text" setting, which increases text size to a negligible degree.
Given that the game is lightweight and fully available on mobile devices, I understand the need to minimize customization. However, as it stands, most users with visual impairments cannot access the gameplay without the use of mods or external tools.
That said, there are actually a few robust mods available that make the game accessible to blind and severely visually impaired players. These mods add screen reader integration, making it possible to navigate the game using typed commands or the keyboard, with text sent directly to the user's screen reader.
See Say the Spire: Say the Spire GitHub Repository
Conclusion
Accessibility features—especially those for low-vision users—are still not standard in video game development. However, attitudes are changing. There are a few shining examples of games that include accessibility as a standard feature, and I would like to foster an industry-wide attitude that views accessibility support as naturally essential as adding video or audio options.
Hopefully, the industry will see the success of these standout examples and recognize the incentive to make their games accessible to users of all levels of ability.
