Why would anyone make an unplayable game? IGDA GASIG 2026-09-18 | Why would anyone make an unplayable game?
Behind the Scenes: EA’s Accessibility Program IGDA GASIG 2025-09-30 | Morgan Baker, EA. This talk will share the latest progress in EA’s Accessibility Program for gaming software. We’ll cover how the program is structured, the services we provide to game teams, and how we collaborate across the company to drive accessible design. Along the way, we’ll discuss successes, challenges, and lessons learned. Attendees will gain insight into how a large-scale accessibility program operates, and leave with ideas for strengthening accessibility efforts in their own organizations.GAConf USA 2025
Accessibility Inertia: Moving and Momentum IGDA GASIG 2025-09-30 | Anna Waismeyer, Apurva Raman, DJ Stiner, Kevin Johnson, Stefan Damberg. Gaming Accessibility has dramatically accelerated in importance and priority – thanks largely to efforts to create awareness, empathy, and innovation in game development to consider the needs of all players. This panel discusses the unique and multi-faceted challenges and progress in the industry and shares general practices to help expand both the culture and integration of accessible design into the way teams think about games and game development.GAConf USA 2025
3 approaches to Accessibility Design in Squeakross: Home Squeak Home IGDA GASIG 2025-09-30 | Alexandre Stroukoff & Luka Lescuyer, Alblune. In this talk, we’ll discuss about how we approached development of Squeakross to have accessibility baked in its game design right from the start.GAConf USA 2025
Abiotic Factor: Accessibility Design Methodologies & Breaking New Ground (Quietly) for Misophonia IGDA GASIG 2025-09-30 | Kate Colvin, Deep Field Games. From the perspective of an indie developer, Kate shares some of her experiences and lessons learned during the process of designing and implementing accessibility features in Abiotic Factor. This talk also covers Abiotic Factor’s unique implementation of an uncommonly seen accessibility setting, misophonia mode, and how it resulted in an unexpected but touching outcome.GAConf USA 2025
A Fresh Set of Specs: Accessibility for Ideation IGDA GASIG 2025-09-30 | Alex Carey, PlayAbility. This talk explores how using accessibility barriers as design lenses creates a series of constraints for novel game designs.GAConf USA 2025
Lost in a Side Quest: Gaming with ADHD IGDA GASIG 2025-09-30 | 3llebelle, Morgan Baker, Sabina Kulik, Thormungandr. ADHD impacts millions of players worldwide, yet its unique challenges are often overlooked in game design. In this panel, experts with lived experience of ADHD will share the barriers they encounter in games, the personal strategies they use to adapt, and how intersecting conditions can shape those experiences. Together, we’ll discuss what developers can do to make games more welcoming and accessible for players with ADHD. Attendees will leave with insights, examples, and actionable ideas for designing games with ADHD in mind.GAConf USA 2025
Surveyor: Facilitating Discovery Within 3D Video Games for Blind and Low Vision Players IGDA GASIG 2025-09-30 | Vishnu Nair, Columbia University. In this talk, Vishnu introduces Surveyor, an exploration assistance tool designed to facilitate a sense of discovery for blind and low vision (BLV) players in 3D game worlds. Drawing on formative interviews and user testing, he discusses how Surveyor encourages deeper exploration and gives players a heightened sense of agency compared to traditional menu-based and spatial audio approaches.GAConf USA 2025
Beyond the Checkbox: Building Accessibility into FC26 IGDA GASIG 2025-09-30 | Ivona Novak & Paul Parsons, EA Sports. This talk explores the progress made toward making FC26 more accessible than its earlier installments. Accessibility isn’t a single milestone—it’s an ongoing journey that requires commitment, creativity, and collaboration across teams. We’ll share the challenges we faced, the solutions we implemented, and the lessons we learned along the way. The goal is to encourage developers to think about accessibility from the very start of production and to integrate accessible design as a natural part of game development.GAConf USA 2025
VR Is for Everyone: Designing for Comfort in A Knight in the Attic IGDA GASIG 2025-09-30 | Tabby Rose, Mighty Yell. Virtual reality games, especially when working with a limited budget or team size, are more greatly impacted by barriers to play than regular games. Simply playing a VR game is hindered by a lot of factors: wearing a headset, needing to physically move around, or feeling motion sick. Although players often express this as discomfort, in reality these are accessibility issues, and addressing low mobility, vision loss, hearing loss, and attentional difficulty provides a better experience for every player. This presentation will explore a range of barriers to play that are unique to VR and how they were addressed for the VR title A Knight in the Attic.GAConf USA 2025
Facing the Future: A History of Positive Disability Representation in Video Games IGDA GASIG 2025-09-30 | Kennedie Griggs, PlayAbility. Disability representation in video games has improved over the years, but there is still much room for improvement and innovation! Kennedie Griggs (dynamicreactions) shares her favorite examples of disability representation in video games and media in hopes that we can look to the past and be inspired for the future.GAConf USA 2025
Arcade Games With One Arm? IGDA GASIG 2025-09-30 | Charlie Smith (Champutee). I went to an arcade to see which games were accessible to me, my first time going since I became one armed. This is what I found.GAConf USA 2025
Automated Testing for Subtitle Accessibility in Games IGDA GASIG 2025-09-30 | Ian Gauk, University of Alberta (ASGAARD). With tight production schedules and countless features to test, accessibility issues—like subtitle errors—can easily slip through the cracks. This technical talk explores how modern tools such as speech recognition and optical character recognition (OCR) can be leveraged to build an automated testing pipeline for subtitle accessibility.GAConf USA 2025
Weaving Accessibility into Workflows IGDA GASIG 2025-09-25 | Cari Watterton, Rebellion. Accessibility helps more people play our games, but it also takes an army! So how can you take your passion, and train people across disciplines to make more inclusive choices? This talk will enable you to run your own workshops to boost accessibility in your studio.Accessibility Designer, Cari Watterton, created Inclusive Design Workshops, inspired by Xbox’s Inclusive Design Sprints, to train developers at Rebellion to consider accessibility throughout development in a way that is cost effective but still impactful. This awareness across disciplines helps to foster an inclusive design mindset and avoid unintentional barriers in our games.Cari’s talk covers the creation and content of the cross-discipline workshops, the feedback and development that Rebellion went through to create an engaging and fun learning experience, and the result and impacts that the training has had on our staff and our workflows.GAconf Europe 2024
Game accessibility preferences of blind players: results from a survey IGDA GASIG 2025-09-25 | Carme Mangiron & María Eugenia Larreina-Morales. This talk explores game accessibility preferences of players with visual disabilities collected through a survey in Spain. Results unveil participants’ gaming habits, accessibility’s impact on their preferences and the potential of gameplay audio description as an accessibility feature.GAconf Europe 2024
From project to initiative - the past, present and future of Gaming ohne Grenzen IGDA GASIG 2025-09-25 | Sven Radtke & Melanie Eilert. The project Gaming ohne Grenzen was launched at the beginning of 2020. The aim was to test games for accessibility in mixed-abled youth groups as part of media education work outside of schools. The pandemic made it difficult to get started, but it also opened up opportunities for other focal points. In addition to youth work, Gaming ohne Grenzen became an important player in raising awareness of accessibility in digital games in the German gaming industry.
Developing the latest Xbox Hardware Accessibility Offerings IGDA GASIG 2025-09-22 | Kaitlyn Jones, XboxThis talk will discuss some of the newest developments for accessible input at Xbox, including the Xbox Adaptive Joystick, expanded functionality for the Xbox Adaptive Controller and more. Learn about these new supports and the processes of creating them in partnership with members of the gaming and disability community.GAconf USA 2024
Accessible Gadgets for Gamers: Evaluating & Applying Game Accessibility in Therapeutic Settings IGDA GASIG 2025-09-22 | Erik Jones, Warfighter EngagedGame accessibility has seen rapid growth in recent years, but there remains a significant gap between these technological advancements and their practical application in healthcare. This session aims to bridge that gap by introducing an innovative evaluation tool for adaptive gaming and showcasing *The Rehab Arcade*, a resource designed to help therapists implement accessible gaming solutions in their practice.GAconf USA 2024
The Accessibility to Burnout Pipeline IGDA GASIG 2025-06-30 | Shell Little, independentAccessibility practitioners are currently at risk of Burnout due to the nature of our work. No matter our role, our work often gets prioritized over our well-being due to a wide variety of factors seemingly out of our control. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, overworked, or burnt out, know you are not alone. In this talk, Shell Little, an Accessibility specialist who has personal experience with burnout, will discuss what Burnout is, its impact on professionals within the Accessibility field, and a range of preventative measures.GAconf USA 2024
Open Worlds & ADHD – A Tale of Love, Pain, and Opportunity IGDA GASIG 2025-06-27 | Améliane F. Chiasson, Player ResearchA cautionary tale of the good, the bad and the ugly sides of gaming with ADHD, focused on the open-world genre. Hear about the personal stories and lessons of Améliane, a Games Accessibility Lead who’s own needs often get pushed aside.GAconf USA 2024
Skill Tree Unlocked: From Consultant to In-House IGDA GASIG 2025-06-26 | Stacey Jenkins, UbisoftStacey shares insights from their first two years of working as an in-house accessibility specialist - what they wish they knew, and the crucial skills they needed to build… fast!GAconf USA 2024
More Than a Saving Throw: How Dungeons & Disableds Shows the Strength of Adaptability IGDA GASIG 2025-06-26 | Steve Saylor, indepedentIn this talk, Accessibility Consultant, and Dungeon Master Steve Saylor will explore how the show "Dungeons & Disableds" uses Dungeons & Dragons mechanics to highlight the unique adaptability of disabled players. By diving into how game mechanics mirror real-world problem-solving, Steve will demonstrate how, even in game dev, disabled people turn challenges into strengths, showcasing creativity beyond a simple roll of the dice.GAconf USA 2024
Servers Up, Everyones Welcome IGDA GASIG 2025-06-26 | Drew McRory, Morgan Baker, Topher Winward, Jordan HedgesJoin industry experts as they explore how to make live service games more accessible. This panel will focus on key strategies for building inclusive games that evolve over time, balancing priorities, and engaging players, all while keeping accessibility at the core of development and player communication.GAconf USA 2024
News Update IGDA GASIG 2025-06-26 | Ian Hamilton, independentA round-up of some of the great progress made in the past 6 months.GAconf USA 2024
Cheat Codes for All: How Gaming Shortcuts Level Up Accessibility and Fun! IGDA GASIG 2025-06-26 | Tess Grossman, indepedentThis talk explores how cheat codes, game modifications, and community support enhance accessibility and inclusivity in gaming. By offering customizable difficulty, shortcuts, and innovative ways to play, cheats break barriers for players with diverse abilities. We’ll also examine how guides, tutorials, and inclusive communities empower disabled gamers to engage, contribute, and thrive both in-game and beyond.GAconf USA 2024
Tourettes IRL IGDA GASIG 2025-06-26 | Pat O'Leary, Maxis StudiosMore often than not, characters with Tourette's in media are included mainly as comic relief, narrowly portraying their experience based on stereotypes. What's Tourette Syndrome really like? How do misconceptions about disability impact the characters we create, or the workspaces we share? Pat O'Leary shares his own experience working in the industry while navigating a diagnosis.GAconf USA 2024
Developing in the dark IGDA GASIG 2025-06-26 | Zach Tidwell, Dark Horse Game StudiosA completely blind developer's path to game development and unique perspectives on the industryGAconf USA 2024
Mind The Gap: the Agile and Accessible R&D behind AbleToPlay IGDA GASIG 2025-04-15 | Join Arman Nobari for a candid retrospective on developing a sustainable R&D pipeline for AbleToPlay, an accessible games discovery site. Arman shares durable insights on scaling research with limited resources, spotting demographic blind spots, and launching surveys that scale themselves – whether you’re building a game, a community, or hardware.
Extending Accessibility to Mobile in Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown IGDA GASIG 2025-04-15 | Alexis Denancé, UbisoftThe challenges of porting exigent gameplay to mobile and living up to the high accessibility expectations set by the HD game.GAconf Europe 2025
Chroma, A Colorblind Simulation Tool IGDA GASIG 2025-04-15 | Jawad Shakil, UbisoftUbisoft is releasing Chroma, a new open-source colourblind simulator for all. This talk shares its story, key features and open-source commitment.GAconf Europe 2025
You’re doing well if you’re annoying someone: A celebration of advocacy, impact and community IGDA GASIG 2025-04-15 | Amy Kavanagh, Lauren "Radderss" Radford, Mathew "The Wobbly Gamer" Allcock, Melody "TheCaringLlama" PowellA discussion about disability advocacy in gaming, community and making a difference. The panel explores the journey into advocacy, how to find people who care about accessibility, pushing against the algorithm, avoiding the activist burnout and celebrating the wins.GAconf Europe 2025
King: Enhancing Mobile Audio with Accessibility IGDA GASIG 2025-04-15 | Eduardo Broseta, KingThis talk explores the innovative approaches being implemented to push the boundaries of audio in mobile gaming, with a special focus on Candy Crush Soda Saga. This presentation will provide an in-depth look at the unique challenges and strategies involved in making audio in mobile games more inclusive, plus the opportunities for innovation. We will discuss our recent projects and collaborations, offering insights into the ways we are making mobile game audio more accessible and interactive in this competitive market.GAconf Europe 2025
Taking a Cricket Bat to Accessibility Barriers in Atomfall IGDA GASIG 2025-04-15 | Duncan Bell & Hannah O'Hare, RebellionAtomfall, Rebellion’s new survival-action game set in a fictional British countryside, features many accessibility firsts for the studio, and far exceeded expectations of what was achievable from an accessibility perspective. This talk will explore the accessibility approach taken by the Atomfall team, discuss some of the games most innovative features and delve into how they were achieved.GAconf Europe 2025
Writing for Everyone IGDA GASIG 2025-04-15 | Jade Summers, independentDiscover how UX writing can enhance accessibility in video game development. This session will explore how writing style guides can maintain consistency, and ensure appropriate terminology across games and marketing. It’ll also cover key considerations for crafting clear and effective instructional text, and discuss the importance of working closely with other copy stakeholders from the start of your project.GAconf Europe 2025
Representation of Invisible Disability – Lived Experience of Teenagers with ADHD IGDA GASIG 2025-04-15 | Kathrin Gerling, Karlsruhe Institute of TechnologyRepresentation of disability in games is important to facilitate inclusive experiences. In this talk, Kathrin gives insights into a two-year research project that explored representation of invisible disability from the perspective of young people with lived experience of ADHD. She shares considerations for the design of games that include ADHD, highlighting that representation requires careful deliberation, that lived experience should be leveraged with care, and that game design must be mindful of the fine line between disability simulation and adequate representation.GAconf Europe 2025
GAconf Awards 2024 - ASL IGDA GASIG 2025-01-29 | Ceremony for the 2024 GAconf awards, recognising excellence in accessibility across 19 categories. Info about the nominees - gaconf.com/gaconf-awards-2024* Audio description, ASL, and BSL - youtube.com/playlist?list=PLVEo4bPIUOslg0oDMkSEc54gkUvvAm7Gp* Captions (English, and Latin American Spanish) - hit the settings icon
GAconf Awards 2024 - Audio Described IGDA GASIG 2025-01-29 | Ceremony for the 2024 GAconf awards, recognising excellence in accessibility across 19 categories. Info about the nominees - gaconf.com/gaconf-awards-2024* Audio description, ASL, and BSL - youtube.com/playlist?list=PLVEo4bPIUOslg0oDMkSEc54gkUvvAm7Gp* Captions (English, and Latin American Spanish) - hit the settings icon
GAconf Awards 2024 - BSL IGDA GASIG 2025-01-29 | Ceremony for the 2024 GAconf awards, recognising excellence in accessibility across 19 categories. Info about the nominees - gaconf.com/gaconf-awards-2024* Audio description, ASL, and BSL - youtube.com/playlist?list=PLVEo4bPIUOslg0oDMkSEc54gkUvvAm7Gp* Captions (English, and Latin American Spanish) - hit the settings icon
GAconf Awards 2024 IGDA GASIG 2025-01-29 | Ceremony for the 2024 GAconf awards, recognising excellence in accessibility across 19 categories. Info about the nominees - gaconf.com/gaconf-awards-2024* Audio description, ASL, and BSL - youtube.com/playlist?list=PLVEo4bPIUOslg0oDMkSEc54gkUvvAm7Gp* Captions (English, and Latin American Spanish) - hit the settings icon
How To Line-Break Subtitles IGDA GASIG 2024-10-29 | Ian Hamilton. Subtitles and captions in games have progressed enormously in recent years, but the games industry’s approach to them has still not yet caught up with standard practices in other screen media , including the way the text itself is structured. This short talk gives an overview of how to tackle an important aspect of that – line breaking. GAconf USA 2024
#OpenForNaughtyDog – Brandon Cole’s Enduring legacy IGDA GASIG 2024-10-29 | Ross Minor, Carlos Vasquez, Shaylyn Baker & Michael Feir. Looking back at Brandon’s impact both personally and on the industry, where his legacy has taken us to today, and looking forwards to where it will lead us to in the future. GAconf USA 2024
Seeing into your future: Developing an accessible game for later, today! IGDA GASIG 2024-10-29 | Arevya, Britt Dye, Sean Bright. A demonstration of how Easy Surf is helping to make Mystiques more accessible with a focus on their diorama system. Understand the process for gathering feedback from players with disabilities, showing how their input changed the design. Learn how the studio decided what changes to make and how working with players with disabilities is influencing the game’s direction.GAconf USA 2024
Forgetting is Frustrating: Learning and Memory in Video Games IGDA GASIG 2024-10-29 | Elisabeth Whyte, Bethesda. This talk will explore how limited memory abilities lead to frustration when learning to play video games. Takeaways include strategies to help prevent overloading players with too much information.GAconf USA 2024
Navigating Cognitively-Accessible UX in STAR WARS Jedi: Survivor IGDA GASIG 2024-10-29 | Jordan DeVries, Respawn Entertainment. Cognition in games is both relatively nascent and a highly-sensitive topic, as attention, memory and understanding are all at the very core of what defines ‘difficulty’ for many game genres. And UX is often relied upon to close this gap! This talk from the UI/UX Lead of STAR WARS Jedi: Survivor walks through the challenges, findings and caveats that ultimately helped win the GAconf 2023 award for Cognitive Accessibility, all backed by player research and testing.GAconf USA 2024
Making Assassin’s Creed Nexus VR Accessible IGDA GASIG 2024-10-29 | Olivier Palmieri, Ubisoft. Virtual Reality allows an amazing level of immersion in virtual worlds. With motion controls, Virtual Reality can also be a challenge for accessibility. In Assassin’s Creed Nexus VR, the open worlds of the game provide great opportunities for players to explore, parkour, climb, fight or go stealth. This can potentially be a challenge for players’ accessibility. We will present our journey and share our experience developing features and presets to make the game accessible and comfortable for players.GAconf USA 2024
