--- key: lesson/game-accessibility type: lesson id: game-accessibility lang: en title: Basic accessibility across a play session summary: >- Find barriers from launch to task completion: controls, text, cues, reaction time and camera motion. updatedAt: '2026-10-20' status: active url: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/en/lessons/game-accessibility/' jsonUrl: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/lesson/game-accessibility.json' markdownUrl: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/lesson/game-accessibility.md' aliases: [] tags: - accessibility - input - feedback sourceIds: - source-3503f6eaa21b8fa2 - source-126631d0c2e67fef sources: - id: source-3503f6eaa21b8fa2 title: 'Game Accessibility Guidelines: Basic' url: 'https://gameaccessibilityguidelines.com/basic/' verifiedAt: null - id: source-126631d0c2e67fef title: 'Microsoft Xbox Accessibility Guideline 117: Visual distractions' url: >- https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/xbox/accessibility/xbox-accessibility-guidelines/117 verifiedAt: null relations: - type: requires direction: outgoing label: Before you start key: lesson/input-and-feedback title: Input and feedback url: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/en/lessons/input-and-feedback/' jsonUrl: >- https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/lesson/input-and-feedback.json markdownUrl: >- https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/lesson/input-and-feedback.md - type: requires direction: outgoing label: Before you start key: lesson/game-feel title: 'Game feel: making actions readable' url: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/en/lessons/game-feel/' jsonUrl: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/lesson/game-feel.json' markdownUrl: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/lesson/game-feel.md' - type: explains direction: outgoing label: Apply the principle key: mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-difficulty-level title: Difficulty level url: >- https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-difficulty-level/ jsonUrl: >- https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-difficulty-level.json markdownUrl: >- https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-difficulty-level.md - type: practices direction: outgoing label: Put it into practice key: practice/rhythm-without-hurry title: Rhythm without rushing url: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/practice/rhythm-without-hurry/' jsonUrl: >- https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/practice/rhythm-without-hurry.json markdownUrl: >- https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/practice/rhythm-without-hurry.md - type: reviews direction: outgoing label: Review through a lens key: lens/schell-060 title: Physical Interface url: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/lens/schell-060/' jsonUrl: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/lens/schell-060.json' markdownUrl: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/lens/schell-060.md' - type: contains direction: incoming label: Learning paths key: path/game-verification title: Game verification url: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/en/learn/game-verification/' jsonUrl: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/path/game-verification.json' markdownUrl: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/path/game-verification.md' - type: uses direction: outgoing label: Sources in the selection key: resource/game-accessibility-guidelines title: Game Accessibility Guidelines url: >- https://gamemechanics.pro/en/resources/#resource-game-accessibility-guidelines jsonUrl: >- https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/resource/game-accessibility-guidelines.json markdownUrl: >- https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/resource/game-accessibility-guidelines.md - type: uses direction: outgoing label: Sources in the selection key: resource/accessible-motion title: 'Xbox: accessible motion settings' url: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/en/resources/#resource-accessible-motion' jsonUrl: >- https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/resource/accessible-motion.json markdownUrl: >- https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/resource/accessible-motion.md placements: [] supersededBy: [] attributes: category: design level: beginner minutes: 6 endsAt: null provenance: >- Original gamemechanics.pro material. Check illustrative examples in your own project. license: CC-BY-4.0 codeLicense: MIT attribution: gamemechanics.pro contributors --- # Basic accessibility across a play session id: game-accessibility type: lesson key: lesson/game-accessibility lang: en status: active url: https://gamemechanics.pro/en/lessons/game-accessibility/ Find barriers from launch to task completion: controls, text, cues, reaction time and camera motion. ## Prerequisites A barrier can appear before the first gameplay task: tiny menus, mandatory button holds or an audio-only cue. Check the entire player journey, including settings and recovery from mistakes. ## The principle State what information the player needs and what action they must perform. Find an alternative wherever the sole method creates a barrier. [Game Accessibility Guidelines](https://gameaccessibilityguidelines.com/basic/) provides starting points for this review; select recommendations for the particular game. Settings are usable only if players can reach them before the problematic scene. Changes should persist, and control hints should match remapped inputs. Developer checks find obvious errors but do not replace feedback from players with varied needs. ## Practical example ### Starting a pumping station This original teaching scenario requires matching three symbols, holding a lever and noticing pump overheating. Examine barriers separately: | Initial design | Alternative to test | | --------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------- | | Red and green indicators without labels | Distinct shapes, symbols and state labels | | Audio-only overheating alarm | Text warning and visible icon | | Lever requires a prolonged hold | Configurable press-to-toggle behavior | | Camera shake during startup | Reduced-motion or disable option reachable beforehand | Check that toggling the lever does not require an accidental extra press after leaving a menu. The overheating icon should remain distinguishable against the gameplay background. Reducing shake must not remove the only startup confirmation: retain the pump state and text. If the task requires a quick reaction, consider a separate reaction-window option. It may affect difficulty, so describe its effect honestly. This review aims to preserve access to the action, not promise an identical experience for everyone. ## Common mistakes - Hiding a setting in a scene the player cannot reach. - Subtitling speech while omitting an important danger sound. - Checking only the settings screen without replaying the task afterward. - Calling a game fully accessible after a short internal checklist. ## Verify it 1. Complete the journey from launch to result with one selected input method. 2. Mute sound and check essential information; separately inspect cues without color distinctions. 3. Change controls, text size and camera motion, restart and check persistence. 4. Invite participants with relevant needs and record remaining barriers without blanket promises. ## Prompt for an AI agent > Make a barrier table for the pumping station. For each barrier, propose a setting or alternative cue and a full-task acceptance scenario. List untested cases separately. Preserve essential feedback when effects are disabled. Continue with [Rhythm Without Hurry](/en/practice/#rhythm-without-hurry) and the [Physical Interface lens](/en/lenses/#schell-060). ## Connected materials - Before you start: [Input and feedback](https://gamemechanics.pro/en/lessons/input-and-feedback/) (key: lesson/input-and-feedback) - Before you start: [Game feel: making actions readable](https://gamemechanics.pro/en/lessons/game-feel/) (key: lesson/game-feel) - Apply the principle: [Difficulty level](https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-difficulty-level/) (key: mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-difficulty-level) - Put it into practice: [Rhythm without rushing](https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/practice/rhythm-without-hurry/) (key: practice/rhythm-without-hurry) - Review through a lens: [Physical Interface](https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/lens/schell-060/) (key: lens/schell-060) - Learning paths: [Game verification](https://gamemechanics.pro/en/learn/game-verification/) (key: path/game-verification) - Sources in the selection: [Game Accessibility Guidelines](https://gamemechanics.pro/en/resources/#resource-game-accessibility-guidelines) (key: resource/game-accessibility-guidelines) - Sources in the selection: [Xbox: accessible motion settings](https://gamemechanics.pro/en/resources/#resource-accessible-motion) (key: resource/accessible-motion) ## Sources and provenance Original gamemechanics.pro material. Check illustrative examples in your own project. - [Game Accessibility Guidelines: Basic](https://gameaccessibilityguidelines.com/basic/) (id: source-3503f6eaa21b8fa2) - [Microsoft Xbox Accessibility Guideline 117: Visual distractions](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/xbox/accessibility/xbox-accessibility-guidelines/117) (id: source-126631d0c2e67fef) CC-BY-4.0 ยท gamemechanics.pro contributors