A Developer-Oriented Framework Proposal for Evaluating the Accessibility of Video Games

Despite advancements, the gaming industry often overlooks accessibility, excluding individuals with disabilities. This paper proposes a novel framework to address this gap. The framework empowers developers through a categorized accessibility guideline catalog validated by experts, providing clear guidance for various disabilities (motor, visual, auditory, and cognitive) with real-world examples. Validated evaluation tools and techniques: These tools address scenarios where developers use non-configurable default values, potentially creating accessibility barriers. A well-defined evaluation process: This process, outlined using established methods, ensures a structured and efficient evaluation. In addition, this proposal allows for the acquisition of a quantitative value that allows comparisons between designs and between different video games, as well as the establishment of KPIs in improvement projects. The framework was rigorously validated by HCI and gaming experts and successfully applied to assess the accessibility of action-based third-person games. This application yielded valuable insights, enabling comparisons between games and identifying accessibility strengths and weaknesses for different disabilities. This framework empowers developers to integrate accessibility throughout development, fostering a more inclusive gaming environment for all.