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Players with disabilities score in video game world
Carlos Vasquez is a master of video fighting game Mortal Kombat despite being unable to see the action on screen because he is blind. The Texas resident — who relies on sound to time punches, kicks and dodges — is among a chorus of voices calling for better access to gaming for people with disabilities.
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Gamer: Chris Robinson plays a video game in his apartment on March 26, in Justice, Illinois, the United States. (AFP/Kamil Krzaczynski)
C
arlos Vasquez is a master of video fighting game Mortal Kombat despite being unable to see the action on screen because he is blind.
The Texas resident — who relies on sound to time punches, kicks and dodges — is among a chorus of voices calling for better access to gaming for people with disabilities.
"You have two characters across the screen fighting each other, left and right, and you just have to memorize the buttons," said Vasquez, explaining what drew him to Mortal Kombat.
Long neglected by the industry, the issue of accessibility is increasingly front of mind for game makers.
There are financial as well as ethical reasons for opening doors to even more players in the multi-billion dollar industry.
According to the World Health Organization, more than a billion people live with some form of disability.
Microsoft, the tech powerhouse behind Xbox and its cloud game streaming service, estimates that there are some 400 million players with disabilities.
