How do you play video games? When you hear that question, you likely will answer something to the extent of, “I play on a console,” or, “I prefer PC gaming.” Both answers are acceptable, but they’re not exactly what we asked. Instead, we’re talking about how you physically play video games. “With my hands,” you might reply. But it goes beyond that. Of course, gamers also use their eyes and ears to ensure they get all the details they can from the title to enjoy the experience fully. But for some, their sight, hearing, and even their hands are impaired, so the use of accessibility controls is vital for them to enjoy the games. Thankfully, titles like Street Fighter 6 take those thoughts seriously.
While many people have been talking about Street Fighter 6 in the context of the recent beta that was highly successful and praised, players also talking about the Accessibility Controls they offer. For the visually or auditorily impaired, the game allows you to adjust the graphics and sound effects to suit your needs.
A great instance of this can be found in the tweet below. The setting was tweaked so that the background music and natural sounds of the title were turned down, and in their place was a beeping sound to indicate how close the player character was to their opponent. The faster it beeped, the closer they were. Plus, extra sound effects were added to ensure they knew they hit their foe.
And lest you think this is a bit overkill, it’s not. In fact, one high-level player of the franchise who is visually impaired praised the game’s recent beta online for its accessibility features. By high-level, we mean that he got into the Ultra Diamond rank for the previous title, Street Fighter V. Plus, he did that without these features. So imagine how much more he can do with them in the new title!
Multiple AAA titles have been upgrading their accessibility features as of late. The Last of Us Part 1 had many features in this department, as does the upcoming God of War Ragnarok.
Every company that does this isn’t only helping people; they’re expanding the gaming community. They’re making it a more inclusive place even when it takes them a while to make all these features. It’s true that most of you reading this right now might not need these features. But you might know someone that does or could need it.
Given how divisive gaming culture can be, with everyone throwing hate at one another and the developers, it’s nice to see those in need getting the help they deserve. Because, in the end, everyone should be able to play video games.
Source: Twitter
