The Last of Us Part 1 bets on accessibility so that no player is left out

3DJuegos speaks with Fundación ONCE about the improvements introduced by the remake of the Naughty Dog game.

Accessibility in video games is a concept that, although we hear more and more, is still far away for many players, as if the matter was not entirely with them. But the reality is that a 15% of the population worldwide you need these options to be able to enjoy your favorite games. Today The Last of Us Part I has been released on PS5, and while reliving Joel and Ellie’s story is exciting, there’s one hidden aspect I’d like to talk about in this article: how accessible it is to different spectrums of gamers.

However, what do we understand by accessibility in video games? In a simple way, we could establish that they are all those options aimed at adapting the gaming experience to all kinds of people and disabilities. These range from the size of the text, to the range of colors, ending with customizable controls. Needless to point out the importance they have thanks to their function of social inclusion.

Accessibility has been implemented in one way or another little by little, with a awareness increasingly larger by companies that it is a service that must be offered, as well as a potential niche to take into account and a good image for them. We have a precious example of this will to reach more players than ever in the xbox adaptive controller, which allowed a girl with a disability to play Zelda Breath of the Wild. And today too, we have to celebrate that a game like The Last of Us Part I includes these accessibility options.

I am not alone in this article, since yesterday we attended the game presentation event and we were able to talk with Henry GarciaTechnician of Accessible Technologies in the ONCE Foundation and main inspiration for me to find myself addressing this topic today. Undoubtedly, being able to deal with the problem of accessibility from an experienced point of view such as his has been totally refreshing and instructive.

The Last of Us Part I meets 8 of 9 required functional performance profilesThus, when we talk about this concept, it emphasizes the fact that each game is a world and the needs that each one entails as well. However, thanks to Ga11 Project and the ONCE Foundation has managed to establish general guidelines to objectively determine whether a series of necessary requirements are met. The Last of Us Part I meets 8 of 9 required Functional Delivery Profiles. In Enrique’s words, these sections are divided into four big groups disability: visual, auditory, physical and intellectual that break down into aspects such as no vision, partial vision, moderate difficulty in handling, etc. If this remake meets 8 out of 9, the question was obvious: what section has not been satisfied? “The one that has not been activated has been the severe difficulty of handling, since there is no included Copilot Mode.” However, Enrique is optimistic about the forecast for the future.

Thus, we have been able to know that the visually impaired profiles have been the most favored, thanks to options such as audio description, 3D surround sound or haptic vibration. On the other hand, navigation aids or notifications of different types are also worth taking into account. But the game is more ambitious and options such as the customization of the controls are essential so that people with X disabilities can also enjoy it. Thus, Enrique himself tells us about his experience: “it has been a surprise. It is true that we came from a benchmark that was The Last of Us Part II that included more than 60 measures, but the team at naughty dog has taken this and improved it. Options such as volumes or control customization have been polished, which is something that benefits me a lot. I have felt it as a surprise, but also as a joy”.

There are more fundamental aspects when talking about accessibility and that are not usually considered as much, such as the fact that Job opportunities. Greater awareness on the part of companies and studios to add these functions supposes a creation of employment for profiles with disabilities that may be implemented within the development process of a game. On the other hand, taking advantage of this space, I would like to break the stigma that these options are only for people who meet a series of specific requirements.

The accessibility options also benefit those who want larger text for convenience, who don’t want a specific font, or who prefer the user interface in red rather than white. all these alternatives they are for everyone and so they have to begin to be understood and valued. In this way, when products like The Last of Us Part I reach us, with so much emphasis on them, we will be able to understand that video games are a means of unity, a way of breaking down barriers between players and uniting people. A very important and necessary message today. Luckily, the studios conceive it that way and more and more, indie games are added to it. Thus, games like Kena: Bridge of Spirits are about to receive a patch with several options dedicated to it.

Of course, there is still work to do. How can accessibility be implemented in e sports, at a competitive level or even in Virtual Reality? These are issues that only time can clarify, but there is no doubt that we are on the right track. Now, all that remains is to dive back into the story that we love so much, knowing that not only we enjoy it, but more and more people.

More about: The Last of Us: Part 1, Naughty Dog, The Last of Us, PlayStation and Fundación ONCE.