The bright future of accessible gaming for every family

Whether it’s high-end consoles and PCs running the latest releases, rounds of endless Fortnite matches, or fun puzzle games on mobile, we are a nation of gamers. In fact, the UK has one of the biggest gaming markets in Europe, with over 51 million people playing video games.

Unfortunately it’s not always an easy hobby to get into. Controllers, keyboards and mobile devices all require a surprising amount of dexterity, which often means that players with physical disabilities, such as cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy or paralysis, find themselves left out of great gaming experiences.

Thankfully, in recent years there has been a major shift in the ways that games can accommodate even more players, in particular those with mobility issues. From major games publishers such as Microsoft and Sony creating customisable controllers, to charities who work tirelessly to create bespoke set-ups for individual players, more of us than ever are able to enjoy our favourite games. For children with disabilities who love gaming, being included is making a huge difference in their lives.

Great gaming for all

UK initiative Special Effect helps young gamers with physical challenges get more out of gaming by ensuring they are kitted out with the very best custom controller for their needs. There is no one-size-fits-all solution to mobility issues when it comes to controllers, as every person has a different range of movement—joysticks may work for some, while eye or mouth control may be better for others. For example, if a child has trouble with fine motor skills and has difficulty using a standard console controller, larger switches and joysticks can be much easier to manipulate and make their favourite characters move on screen.

There have also been huge leaps in the tech available to disabled gamers, with both Microsoft and Sony producing specially designed customisable controllers to help support a wide range of inputs for various types of gamers. Where once people had to make custom buttons and sticks to create controllers that could work for various ranges of movement, it’s now possible to buy solutions off the shelf. The Xbox Adaptive Controller (suitable for Xbox devices and PC) is a great example of this, as it essentially works as a hub device that other sticks and buttons can be plugged into. This has opened up a world of games for players to take part in.

Rival publisher Sony is also working on the Access controller for PlayStation 5, which works in a similar way, but with a built-in joystick. It will be available to buy from December.

Coming together to play games is a source of great joy for many, and thanks to the help of new tech and charities such as Special Effect, more people than ever are able to take part and share in the kind of excitement so many of us take for granted.