Abstract
It is increasingly recognised that there are many players of mainstream digital games who have some form of disability. It is not known which aspects of games are valued by players, regardless of whether they have a disability. We report on a survey of 71 players from the general game community and 123 players with disabilities asking what makes games important to them. We found established motivations to play such as social connection and escapism but additionally that players find games beneficial and provide artistic experiences. Players with disabilities explicitly referred to games helping them to feel enabled or being on a level footing with non-disabled players. The value of accessible games is not just mere play but playing the same games as everyone else. This implies that achieving accessibility through adapting games is an important approach to provide the valued connection and enablement that games provide.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Journal | Games and Culture |
| Publication status | Accepted/In press - 12 Nov 2019 |
Bibliographical note
This is an author-produced version of the published paper. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher’s self-archiving policy. Further copying may not be permitted; contact the publisher for details.Keywords
- Players with Disabilities
- Digital games
- Accessible Games
- Player Experience