Six Major Game Companies Adopt Shared Accessibility Labels
Electronic Arts, Google's YouTube Playables, Nintendo of America and Riot Games joined Ubisoft and Xbox in using the Accessible Games Initiative's tags, the group said Monday. The tags are voluntary.
Six video game companies have begun using the Accessible Games Initiative's tags to help players find accessibility features, the initiative, an effort of the Entertainment Software Association, announced Monday. The companies are Electronic Arts, Google (YouTube Playables), Nintendo of America, Riot Games, Ubisoft and Xbox. Electronic Arts, Google's YouTube Playables, Nintendo of America and Riot Games are the newest to join; Ubisoft and Xbox were already using the tags.
The tags currently describe 24 features, including large and clear subtitles, narrated menus, button remapping and difficulty levels. Each tag has a definition and criteria, so players know what to expect.
Players can find the tags on participating companies' product pages, digital storefronts, accessibility pages and catalogues. Examples include the "About this item" section of Nintendo.com game pages and the "Game Info" section for YouTube Playables games. The tags are currently available in U.S. English.
Adoption is voluntary, and the tags can be used alongside other accessibility tagging systems. The announcement does not say every game from these companies carries the tags.
(The photo is a generic file photo of a gaming controller. It shows a PlayStation controller, and Sony is not among the six companies in this announcement.)