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 2021 is no exception, despite the usual in-person events still not being possible. 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!
Accessibility Days
Talks on a development platform for blind accessible games, and the development of a spaghetti western audiogame
https://twitter.com/a11y_days/status/1392048742199701505
AccessU
Keynote talk on the good in gaming, by Tara Voelker
https://knowbility.org/programs/accessu-2021/keynote-and-lunch-may-19
Talk by Steven Lambert on designing accessible games
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1SLTyNt_I13JncW-Pu4LKkMzhLcx3f1KFr3cNpUAq0XY/edit#slide=id.p
Activision Blizzard
Article showcasing the accessibility work of Adrian Letta (Toys for Bob), Nikki Crenshaw (Blizzard), and Emilio Jéldrez (King)
https://activisionblizzard.com/newsroom/2021/05/Global-Accessibility-Awareness-Day-Inclusive-Design-Matters
Alan Zucconi
Thread of tips and resources
https://twitter.com/AlanZucconi/status/1395389196228042757
Allied podcast
Episode with Belén Agulló García, discussing the importance of accessible gaming and immersive experiences.
https://twitter.com/Belen_Translate/status/1395277383855394818
Améliane Chiasson
Post-GAAD beer/tea meetup
https://twitter.com/AmelianeFC/status/1394368940797743113
Apple
App store accessible games showcase
https://apps.apple.com/at/story/id1561031340?l=en
Barrie Ellis (OneSwitch)
Accessible gaming lucky dip collection of recent news
https://switchgaming.blogspot.com/2021/05/gaad-2021-lucky-dip.html
And some game accessibility history from he early 1970s
https://twitter.com/OneSwitch/status/1395393425177026570
And earlier still
https://twitter.com/GamingMuseum/status/1395468709800591360
Barrierefreiheit in Deutschland
Panel discussion with Felix Falk (Game – Verband der deutschen Games-Branche) Maxi Gräff (Xbox DACH) Rebekka Niederländer (Mixtvision) and Dennis Winkens (WheelyWorld), and screening of a film created as a collaboration between Xbox DACH and the
German Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired
https://twitter.com/ErdundBaer/status/1395327783010701314
BBC
Talk from Vivek Gohil and a panel with Nu McAdam, Andrew Bromilow and Brannon Zahand
https://twitter.com/BBCa11y/status/1394949500234616833
Bend Studio
Blog post showcasing features in Days Gone
https://www.bendstudio.com/blog
Be Player One
Week long talk showcase
https://twitter.com/be_player_1
Ben Bayliss
Thread of his favourite accessibility focussed articles and a bit about his journey
https://twitter.com/Ben_Bayliss/status/1394980315530137606
BrookLAN Esports Lounge
Announcement of XACs and other accessibility options from day 1 of the facility opening
https://twitter.com/BrookLAN_NY/status/1395391119098318849
CanIPlayThat
Thread from Courtney Craven on intersectionality and the future of the site
https://twitter.com/CyclopediaBrain/status/1395350840454565889
Data on the growth of the site
https://twitter.com/CyclopediaBrain/status/1394695096084439045
Codec
Article and one-pager poster on how gaming is emerging as a leading space in inclusive design and progressive thinking
https://blog.codec.ai/PLAY
Crayta
Thread of tips and resources on how to make gmes made with the Crayta platform more accessible
https://twitter.com/CraytaGame/status/1395327787821568004
DAGERSystem
PS5 giveaway, with lots of lovely stories being shared on the #DAGERSystemGAAD twitter hashtag
https://twitter.com/DAGERSYSTEM/status/1394729775650906112
Announcement of the Accessibility Games Database
https://www.forbes.com/sites/andyrobertson/2021/05/20/new-accessibility-database-aids-discovery-of-suitable-video-games/?sh=38ccfe802f91
Diamond award given to Miles Morales
https://dagersystem.com/2020-diamond-award-winner-marvels-spider-man-miles-morales/
David Libeau
PhD project that aims to offer auto-generated audio description for streamed footage
https://twitter.com/DavidLibeau/status/1395273555114405892
Doublefine
A close look at the various accessibility features in Psychonauts 2
https://twitter.com/DoubleFine/status/1395512738529566720
Family Video Game Database
Launch of accessibility tag search and accessibility reports, in partnership with the VSC ratings board
https://www.askaboutgames.com/news/global-accessibility-awareness-day-gaad-new-accessibility-tools-aid-video-game-discovery
Showcase of games enjoyed by autistic people, put together in collaboration with Autistica’s Play Ambassadors
https://twitter.com/TamingGamingDB/status/1395382684214562818
Fox News
Interview with Randy “N0M4D” Fitzgerald
https://twitter.com/FOX9/status/1395381053888544773
Frankfurter Allgemeine
Article by Melanie “melly maeh” Eilert, including chat with Jan Wawrzik of Ubisoft
https://www.faz.net/aktuell/feuilleton/medien/barrierefreiheit-im-videospiel-damit-alle-spielen-koennen-17349109-p3.html
Game Maker’s Toolkit
Tips for making YouTube videos more accessible
https://twitter.com/gamemakerstk/status/1395316932900003841
Game Verband der Deutschen Games-Branche
Germany’s games industry body sharing research showing that 7.6 million German gamers are disabled, 10% of whom use assistive devices
https://twitter.com/game_verband/status/1395320896697499651
Globo
30 minute TV show on game accessibility (Portuguese)
https://globoplay.globo.com/v/9096805/programa/
Grimoire Groves
Footage of colourblind simulation testing
https://twitter.com/GrimoireGroves/status/1395288189431017474
Hannah Elizabeth
Twitch stream highlighting accessible games
https://mobile.twitter.com/luneetetoiles6/status/1395538482681024521
Humphrey “nohandsnoexcuses” Hanley
Full day of Twitch fun
https://twitter.com/nohandsnoexcuse/status/1395136854148542465
Hunterson Studio
Announcement of accessibility featureset for Mine 2 the Beat
https://twitter.com/HuntersonStudio/status/1395372754430566402
Ian Hamilton
Annual GAAD game accessibility trivia quiz
https://forms.gle/KaiWBb1otnizL1B68
IGDA Game Accessibility SIG
GAconf accessibility quotes screensaver
https://igda-gasig.org/what-and-why/accessibility-quotes-screensaver/
Game accessibility top ten refresh
https://igda-gasig.org/how/sig-top-ten/
IGEA
Accessibility category for Austrian Game Developer Awards, and reworking of accessibility criteria for all other categories
https://mobile.twitter.com/The_AGDAs/status/1395541683383664643
Imaginary Friends Games
Unveiling of captioning functionality for important sounds
https://twitter.com/GamesFriendo/status/1395410709811499009
Insomniac
Long tweet thread announcing the full accessibility featureset for Ratchet and Clank
https://twitter.com/insomniacgames/status/1395407201355845633
Internet Matters
Guide for gamers on some of the ways games can be made more accessible
https://www.internetmatters.org/hub/guidance/accessibility-video-games-designed-for-everyone/
Inverse
Showcase of ten accessible games
https://www.inverse.com/gaming/best-accessible-games-gaad-2021/amp
Jameson Durall
Twitch chat with Tara Voelker
https://twitter.com/JamesonDurall/status/1395016150266826757
Jesse “IllegallySighted” Anderson
Showcase of past content
https://twitter.com/BGFH79/status/1395368881661775877
KindaFunny
Steve Saylor co-hosting
https://twitter.com/stevesaylor/status/1394740874735669254
Knights of the Braille
Announcement of a new accessibility awareness event for tabletop games this october, called Everyone Games
https://twitter.com/brailleknights/status/1395323616070447107
Kyle “onehandmostly” Abbate
Week long highlighting of accessibility features that are important to him
https://twitter.com/search?q=%40onehandmostly%20day%20week&src=typed_query&f=live
Level Access
Chief accessibility officer Jonathan Avila shares why game accessibility matters to him
https://www.twitter.com/LevelAccessA11y/status/1395559410932625412
Logitech G
Creator spotlight twitch stream series, with Jay Justice, Radderssgaming, nohandsnoexcuses, and Steve Spohn
https://twitter.com/search?q=%40logitechg%20accessibility&src=typed_query&f=live
Announcement of the Adaptive eSports Tournament
https://twitter.com/LogitechG/status/1395416681875484673
Many Cats Studios
60 second accessibility tips
https://twitter.com/ManyCatsCIC/status/1395289028124098560
Media Molecule
Showcase of accessible games created in Dreams
https://twitter.com/mediamolecule/status/1395393798440689665
Microsoft
Launch of the Xbox Accessibility Insider League, a new feedback mechanism within the insider hub to allow developers to get accessibility feedback direct from players
https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2021/05/20/introducing-the-xbox-accessibility-insider-league/
Updated Xbox Customer Support Page for Accessibility
https://support.xbox.com/en-SG/help/accessible-gaming
Launch of a new resource – the Gaming and Disability Player Experience Guide, a supplement to the Xbox Accessiblity Guidelines that organizes common barriers to gameplay and related best practice guidelines by type of disability
http://aka.ms/GDPlayerExperienceGuide
Showcasing winners of CIPT, DAGERS and TGA accessibility awards in the Xbox and Windows stores
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/store/collections/GAADGFY21/XBOX
Donations to AbleGamers, Warfighter Engaged and Special Olympics
https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2021/05/20/xbox-celebrates-global-accessibility-awareness-day/
GAAD wallpaper
https://www.xbox.com/en-US/wallpapers/
Understanding Function to Design for Disabilities – a framework outlining the cognitive, mobility, vision, hearing, speech, and sensory demands of the technology we all use daily
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/surface/inclusive-tech-lab/understanding-function-to-design-for-disabilities
Xbox ANZ video with Humphrey “nohandsnoexcuses” Hanley
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UzT3nB6insk
Tara Voelker & Steve Saylor Twitch stream
https://twitter.com/stevesaylor/status/1394740874735669254
Talk by Ryo Morishita of for GAAD Japan
https://twitter.com/GAAD_jp/status/1393768944654114820
CanIPlayThat community management workshop
https://twitter.com/CyclopediaBrain/status/1394317294185091076
Xbox DACH & Tino Albrecht tips for an Xbox Adaptive Controller setup for duchenne muscular dystrophy
https://news.xbox.com/de-de/2021/05/20/xbox-adaptive-controller-tino-albrecht/
Minecraft
Showcasing accessibility features, including three new ones
https://twitter.com/PlayCraftLearn/status/1395334748076191746
Mitchell B
Blind playthrough of Mario Tennis Aces
https://twitter.com/dontRunOff01/status/1395154901383122951
Mobilesyrup
Interview with Steve Saylor
https://mobilesyrup.com/2021/05/20/steve-saylor-blind-gamer-global-accessibility-awareness-day-interview/
Netspeak Games
Sharing a collection of resources
https://twitter.com/NetspeakGames/status/1395312283400740864
PikPok
Video preview of accessibility features in Agent Intercept
Https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1502710/view/3044975266209076695
PlayStation
Blog post showcasing the company’s work on accessible hardware, software, workplaces, and support of partner organisations
https://www.sie.com/en/blog/creating-a-world-with-no-limitations/
..including opening up their internal inclusive language guide as a publicly available resource
https://www.sie.com/uploads/sites/15/2021/05/Sony-Interactive-Entertainment-ABLE@PlayStation-Inclusive-Language-Guide-1.pdf
London Studio sharing the collection of accessibility resources they use to educated themselves on making games accessible to all
https://twitter.com/LondonStudioHQ/status/1395369490607714309
Detailed look at some of the key accessibility considerations in Ratchet & Clank
https://www.sie.com/en/blog/inside-the-accessibility-features-of-ratchet-clank-rift-apart/
Interview on accessibility consultancy with Morgan Baker, Paul Amadeus Lane and Brandon Cole
https://www.sie.com/en/blog/accessibility-consulting-opening-new-doors-for-all-gamers/
Raven Software
Announcement of new accessibility menu for COD Warzone
https://twitter.com/RavenSoftware/status/1395504396906024963
RNIB
Fundraiser and blind gaming video
https://www.rnib.org.uk/donations-and-fundraising/do-your-own-fundraising/gaming-rnib
Blind gamers podcast
https://twitter.com/scottish_nerd/status/1395389522893053953
Rocksteady
Tweets from Simon Brewer
https://twitter.com/search?q=%40rocksteadygames%20accessibility&src=typeahead_click&f=live
Sega
Internal panel session with Stacey Jenkins, Amy Kavanagh, Ben Bayliss and Kyle “onehandmostly” Abbate
https://twitter.com/StaceyofGotham/status/1394330057607368707
Soft Leaf Studios
Thread of resources
https://twitter.com/SoftLeafStudios/status/1395340128655224833
Thread on their experiences of working with the community on text to speech and audio description for Stories of Blossom
https://twitter.com/SoftLeafStudios/status/1395306909100617731
Thread of dev tools
https://twitter.com/SoftLeafStudios/status/1395375632805158920
Demo of text to speech and audio description
https://twitter.com/SoftLeafStudios/status/1395356645270724608
SOLAS 128
Launch of a wide-reaching accessibility update
https://caniplaythat.com/2021/05/20/solas-128-accessibility-update-becomes-available-during-gaad/
SpecialEffect
Blog post on embracing and sharing accessibility
https://www.specialeffect.org.uk/specialeffect-news/embracing-and-sharing-accessibility-for-gaad
Splash Damage
Week long series of internal talks
https://twitter.com/splashdamage/status/1394289679579721737
Square Enix
Internal talk series with Steve Saylor, Kyle Abbate and Regine Gilbert
https://twitter.com/SquareEnixMtl/status/1394729591575654401
The Coalition
Showcase of Gears 5’s new features
https://twitter.com/CoalitionGears/status/1395394542036131841
TheGamer
Showcase of past accessibility articles
https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2021/05/20/introducing-the-xbox-accessibility-insider-league/
Twitch
Front page takeover with Steve Saylor, Radderssgaming Steve Spohn, Tiffany Witcher, DeafGamersTV, Ewok, nohandsnoexcuses, Brandon Cole, and more!
https://blog.twitch.tv/en/2021/05/20/celebrate-global-accessibility-awareness-day-on-twitch/?utm_referrer=https://t.co/dIzxcLTO6a
Session on how to make twitch streams more accessible, with Steve Saylor, Veronica Ripley and Humphrey “nohandsnoexcuses” Hanley
https://twitter.com/stevesaylor/status/1395156335692500995
Ubisoft
Video showcasing where the company is today
https://twitter.com/Ubisoft/status/1395390558185693185
Video showcasing accessibility efforts from Naughty Dog, Xbox and SpecialEffect
https://twitter.com/gTV_tweets/status/1395318381981487104
Video showcasing Björn Jönnson and his participation on workshops on Division 2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRGbktongxk
Undead Labs
Case study of an inclusive design sprint for State of Decay 2
https://www.stateofdecay.com/inclusive-design
UKIE
Tweets & articles highlighting the work of accessibility organisations
https://twitter.com/uk_ie/status/1395288423947292679
https://twitter.com/uk_ie/status/1395303506072965120
https://twitter.com/uk_ie/status/1395333805704159232
UYU
Twitch stream with Brian Peddie
https://twitter.com/UYU/status/1395140534730174465
Vivek Gohil
A deep dive into his accessibility journey and set-up
https://twitter.com/uncannyvivek/status/1395327488490975236
Wayward Strand
Announcement of accessibility consultancy
https://twitter.com/WaywardStrand/status/1393048950878310407
Twitch stream on indie accessibility, with Access Unlocked
https://twitter.com/WaywardStrand/status/1394493859766308871
Interview with Pixelsift
Wired
Profile article on disabled streamers who are changing the industry
https://www.wired.com/story/disabled-streamers-transforming-games-industry/
Article on accessibility making games better, with personal experiences of accessibility for narcolepsy
https://www.wired.com/story/more-accessibility-options-make-games-better/
