Game On for All: Inclusive Insights by AbleGamers 

Written by: Julia Franklin, Chief Learning Officer

In a world where video games are a primary source of entertainment and social interaction, accessibility continues to be a challenge for players with disabilities. For millions of disabled gamers, the ability to participate in gaming isn’t just about fun, but also about inclusion, social connection, and personal empowerment.

However, organizations like AbleGamers are changing the narrative, ensuring that gaming is inclusive for everyone. AbleGamers is at the forefront of this movement, leveraging innovative technology and personalized support to guide, empower, and amplify the voices of disabled gamers. By providing customized gaming setups and fostering inclusive communities, they are making gaming accessible and enjoyable for all.

Since much of Cephable’s origin story is rooted in inclusive gaming, we connected with their team early on and found an incredible amount of mutual support, partnership and collaboration because of our aligned missions. We wanted to take some time with one of their team members and share some additional insights from their unique vantage point.

Interview with an AbleGamers Peer Counselor, Zach Runyan

Zach’s path to AbleGamers began after he moved to Washington, DC. As a gamer since childhood and a former special education teacher in Indiana, he discovered AbleGamers through LinkedIn and thought, “Wow, this would be the coolest job ever,” which it has proven to be!

His role on the Peer Counseling team involves assisting players with disabilities across the country in accessing the assistive technology they need to enjoy gaming. He also supports partnerships with children’s hospitals and rehab facilities to create more education and impact for inclusive gaming.

What are some of the different ways that AbleGamers supports their players?

-Peer Counseling

Peer Counselors at AbleGamers gets to know the players to understand their unique needs. They identify the accessibility hurdles and provide resources and suggestions to facilitate play and engagement in the community spaces around gaming to create rich social experiences.

-Community & Inclusion

The team not only connects players with disabilities to inclusive gaming communities but also equips them with the knowledge to explore new games.

-Engineering Research

Prototyping and creating new controllers and devices, offering unique customized solutions for players.

-User Research

Player panels, usability testing, focus groups, evaluations, tandem research, and surveys. This is invaluable for steering the next generation of video games.

-Professional Development

Work closely with game developers educating them on the needs of players with disabilities based on research and user insights, Accessible Player Experiences® (APX).

How have your favorite games influenced your approach to creating accessible gaming setups?

“Currently, my favorite game is Sea of Thieves. I have been gaming since I was a little kid, so one of the first games I fell in love with was The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time for the Nintendo 64. I really enjoy Call of Duty, Diablo IV, Fortnite, and anything else I can play with friends! If I want to play solo, I usually try to find a game with a great storyline and visuals, like Ori and The Blind Forest and, most recently, Hellblade 2!

Being able to talk about my favorite games allows me to connect with the players I am meeting with. It’s always fun to learn about their favorite games, too! This helps with my approach to creating accessible gaming setups because I need to understand the objectives of the games and then what controls are needed to reach those objectives. Understanding the games the players want to play is a huge part of my job to ensure a successful setup for a player.”

What is one of the most innovative or creative setups you’ve seen or helped create that made a difference for a player?

“There have been so many cool setups that I have had the pleasure of working on. One that really comes to my mind first was a player I worked with who has a neurological disorder. I made a few suggestions, one of them being the Quadstick, and he was not sold on the Quadstick. He still wanted to use his hands and body to game!

So, we worked with him to figure out what other parts of his body he would want to use for button inputs, and we were able to develop a very cool setup for him. He was gaming using his head, hands, elbows, and various other parts of his body.”

How has the partnership between AbleGamers and Cephable helped enhance the holistic experience for our shared players?

“I firmly believe that Cephable and AbleGamers partnership just “makes sense”! There have been multiple times when I have been working on a setup with a player and suggested using Cephable for some button inputs. I have even had players who mentioned they were struggling with work because of pain or lack of technology to help them perform their jobs. Immediately, I ask if they have heard of Cephable and explain how it can help them with gaming, and with work!

The fact that players have more options, like Cephable, that are really person-centered and person-focused, just makes it all the better. I believe Cephable and AbleGamers have a similar approach to our work, and our values line up very nicely with the goals we are trying to accomplish.”

What advice would you give to other companies looking to make their games or tech more accessible?

“My advice would be to ALWAYS have accessibility settings in your games for players. It is going to unlock a whole new population of people who can play and access your games. If you are not sure how to make your games more accessible, AbleGamers has a training course that we offer to game developers to teach them about accessibility in gaming. I see the future of gaming inclusion hopefully expanding a ton. Technology just keeps growing rapidly and I have already seen it have such a huge impact it has had on the gaming community. It seems that a lot more people are focusing on accessibility too, which is awesome to see.”

What message would you like to send to disabled gamers who might feel discouraged due to their current gaming setup?

“My message would be simply that, you belong. You belong in gaming. You belong in a community that cares about you and hears what you have to say. You belong in a space that makes you feel safe and allows you to have fun in your spare time.
If you are struggling with a current setup, there are resources out there for you and AbleGamers Peer Counselors who are ready to help!”

How to Get Involved

Getting involved with AbleGamers is easy—visit their website and social media pages to see their latest initiatives. They are also building local communities in cities like Atlanta and Kansas City and always welcome volunteers and support as they continue to expand.

Inclusive gaming isn’t just a possibility; it’s a reality being shaped by dedicated organizations like AbleGamers. The future of gaming is inclusive, and together, we can ensure that everyone has the opportunity to play.