Global Accessibility Awareness Day is event that takes place on the third Thursday of every May, with the goal of raising awareness about digital accessibility. Every successive year the games industry has been embracing it to ever greater levels.
It’s looking like 2020 is no exception, despite the usual in-person events not being possible this year. Some of the efforts not public knowledge, companies holding private internal initatives, individuals sending emails around their teams, and so on. But many are public knowledge.
As the day goes on I’ll be updating this page and trying to keep track of as much as I can but there will be others that I missed, let me know on twitter if you know of any others!
Also a top tip for how to follow along, paste the following into twitter’s search bar then hit “latest”. And yes, it works in Tweetdeck!
(#gaad OR #gaad2020) AND (gamedev OR game OR games OR gamers OR gaming)
AbleGamers
Twitch stream with the AG staff to come say hi and learn about the mission
https://twitter.com/AbleGamers/status/1263513821072809992
Accessibility Unlocked
AccessJam, a week long accessibility & representation themed game jam
https://www.twitter.com/accessunlockanz/status/1262220709511565312
Accessible Streamers
Twitch raid train with prizes, fun and games
https://twitter.com/a11ystreaming/status/1262492303723319298
Améliane Chiasson
Accessibilibuddies post-GAAD unwind
https://mobile.twitter.com/AmelianeFC/status/1262864301653663744
Be Player One
Survey on the habits and expectations of disabled gamers
https://twitter.com/be_player_1/status/1263499399197581316
Can I Play That?
New YouTube channel launched with an inaugural video by Cherry Thompson
https://mobile.twitter.com/CanIPlayThat/status/1263469528828317703
Website accessibility upgrades
https://twitter.com/CanIPlayThat/status/1263482835618447360
Cherry Thompson
A lengthy video analysis of issues facing accessibility in the games industry
https://twitter.com/cherryrae/status/1263529112854884352
CNET
Showcase piece on disabled veterans, Warfighter Engaged and the Xbox Adaptive Controller
https://www.cnet.com/news/veterans-who-lost-limbs-learn-to-game-again-with-adaptive-controllers/
Crayta
Video interview with Kirsty McNaught, giving an overview of how she helped to built Crayta with accessibility in mind
https://twitter.com/CraytaGame/status/1263484696710705159
DAGERsystem
PS4 Pro accessibility giveaway
https://twitter.com/DAGERSYSTEM/status/1262881212378611714
Dualshockers
Interview with David Tisserand about Ubisoft is making accessibility part of the company’s DNA
https://www.dualshockers.com/ubisoft-accessibility-features-games-exclusive/
Eidos / Square Enix
A week of activities including virtual talks from Cherry Thompson, SightlessKombat and Ian Hamilton
https://mobile.twitter.com/AmelianeFC/status/1262810593565847552
Article on SE’s ongoing commitment to accessibility, what has been done so far and a callout for feedback for the future including launching an accessibility feedback form
https://twitter.com/SquareEnix/status/1263545300615979009
Frozenbyte
Post on how they are making their games better in terms of accessibility, and a call out to hear from players about their experiences
https://www.frozenbyte.com/2020/05/global-accessibility-awareness-day/
Ian Hamilton
Sharing some less well known facts through 20 question of accessibility trivia
https://forms.gle/uPEaZYZ4WchgQEtx7
IGDA-GASIG
A set of posters for use in studios centred around design challenges, backed up by gamer quotes, high level guidance, and data
https://twitter.com/ianhamilton_/status/1263632409255391232
Preview of some research material on key moments in game accessibility history from 1950 to 2019, due to appear in a few different projects in the future
https://twitter.com/ianhamilton_/status/1263642640274337794
Institute of Coding
Video piece on how to open the world of gaming to everyone, with Stacey Rebecca, Mick Donegan and Frankie Ward
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jfp8mdCjRkk
GAconf
Video compilation of past speakers’ takes on what accessibility means to them
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjZCmHKNgGE
All talks from GAconf EU now freely available online
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sk1amg9GbQw&list=PLVEo4bPIUOslGkRId3eWyWH2o_EICUprW
Game & Give
Mixer fundaraiser for AbleGamers
https://twitter.com/GoTeamGG/status/1263530058011955200
Illegallysighted
Showcase video of full text to speech in Age of Empires 2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHqQT7sNnxw
King
Callout for accessibility feedback on Candy Crush Saga
https://community.king.com/en/candy-crush-friends-saga/discussion/294902/help-us-improve-accessibility-for-players-in-candy-crush-friends-saga
Liam Mason
Showcasing a hand movement controlled mobile game, with a call out for feedback from wheelchair users
https://twitter.com/LeelooMason/status/1263424664883343361
Logitech G
SpecialEffect showcase video
https://www.twitter.com/LogitechG/status/1262865710063259650
Game Changers podcast with Andrew Bromilow and Ian Hamilton
https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/changing-perceptions-how-do-we-make-gaming-more-accessible/id1506765808?i=1000475047173
Creator spotlight video with Steve Saylor
https://mobile.twitter.com/stevesaylor/status/1263169145903947777
Marcus Skrov
Colour blindness UI tips thread
https://mobile.twitter.com/MarcusSkov/status/1263428457943498752
Microsoft
Compilation thread of some great moments from over the history of the Inclusive Tech Lab
https://twitter.com/IncTechLab/status/1263504186584391680
Specialolympics virtual event announced
https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2020/05/21/announcing-2020-special-olympics-xbox-virtual-gaming-event/
Xbox Ambassadors article on the work by SightlessKombat and others to develop a fully blind accessible Halo map
https://twitter.com/XboxAmbassadors/status/1263561047501201408
Mixer
Featuring streamers with disabilities throughout the day
https://twitter.com/LadieAuPair/status/1263503424357715970
nohandsnoexcuses
Building a gaming PC without fingers
https://twitter.com/nohandsnoexcuse/status/1263210873394327552
Onehandmostly
Why accessibility is important to me video
https://twitter.com/onehandmostly/status/1263530169236586496
Paul Amadeus Lane
Video interviews with a stellar lineup of game accessibility folk
https://twitter.com/Amadeus2k/status/1263219606488903680
PlayStation
Yuichi Haga announced as lead of Sony’s accessibility employee group
https://twitter.com/InstallBase/status/1263486888326778881
t12t
Talk by Bryce Johnson on the Xbox Adaptive Controller
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJi0lqpHqZw&feature=youtu.be&t=5387
Twitch
Full day homepage takever to showcase disabled streamers
https://blog.twitch.tv/en/2020/05/19/celebrate-accessibility-for-all-on-twitch/
Ubisoft
Showcase of blind accessibility initiatives, with Brandon Cole and David Tisserand
https://news.ubisoft.com/en-us/article/4hE1D1MBWWssYuY7LaMmaS/learning-to-design-games-for-blind-players
