ESA launches Accessible Games Initiative and unveils 24 “tags” for gaming storefronts and product pages

The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) – the same organisation that used to run E3 before it was cancelled – has announced the Accessible Games Initiative, a cross-industry campaign to provide consumers with clear information about the accessibility features available in video games.

The five founding companies – EA, Google, Microsoft, Nintendo of America, and Ubisoft – have partnered with the ESA to “help provide clear information about whether a specific video game has accessibility features and, if so, what those features are”. Amazon Games, Riot Games, Square Enix, and Warner Bros. Games have also since pledged support.

The initiative is launching with a set of 24 tags – such as clear text, large and clear subtitles, narrated menus, stick inversion and save anytime – with “clear criteria about what each tag means”, and “over time”, the initiative expects participating companies to place the Accessible Games Initiative tags on digital storefronts, product pages or digital catalogues. The tags have reportedly been developed with guidance and feedback from disabled gamers, advocacy groups, and developers, “all of whom provided valuable insights about the real-world applications of the tags”.

“The timeline for implementation of the tags will be determined on a company-by-company basis and is always voluntary,” the ESA added, and as feedback is gathered from the community and new technologies and features are developed, it “expect[s] the existing tags to evolve and to introduce additional tags in the future”.

“Tens of millions of Americans have a disability and often face barriers to experiencing the joy and connection that comes with playing video games,” said Stanley Pierre-Louis, ESA president and CEO.

“We are immensely proud to announce the Accessible Games Initiative in partnership with industry leaders. This initiative demonstrates how impactful we can be when we work together in our industry-wide pursuit of helping more people experience the power of play.”

To view the tags and learn more about the Accessible Games Initiative, visit accessiblegames.com.

In December, the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) established a player testing panel for the video games industry, research institutions, and academia called the Design for Every Gamer Player Panel.

Alongside its new Devkit: Best Practice in Accessible Gaming 2024, the organisation said that by engaging with this diverse group, “developers and researchers can gather essential feedback on accessibility, helping to ensure that their games and studies are inclusive and accessible to gamers with sight loss”.