Neil Druckman’s Last of Us (Part 1 and more recently Part 2) are considered by many to be some of the rare video game works of art. They are games that are emotional, they offer a rich and detailed story, and the characters have complex motives and backgrounds. Set in an environment after a plague, America looks nothing like it once did. Joel, our lead character for most of Part 1, is confronted with a young girl he is tasked with taking across the country to meet up with Fireflies, a resistance organization that hopes to find the cure for the plague.
The game packs an emotional wallop as Joel loses his own daughter in the first few minutes of the game, and we see humanity at some of its best and worst throughout the game. Collider refers to The Last of Us Part 1 as “a masterpiece”, VICE referred to it as one of the greatest games, period. I remember sitting with Last of Us and was so drawn in at the time that I could not believe the story writing. It was unlike any other game I had seen or played in the console generation, period. For many, however, the fact that The Last of Us existed and received such high praise didn’t hit home—because they could not participate. When Naughty Dog, the producers of The Last of Us heard these concerns, they began working on allowing for greater accessibility options in the sequel, and the response tells exactly how moving it can be to find yourself respected and welcomed.
For some, it may seem to be a very small benefit to find that a computer or console game is made accessible, but for so many, it is a sign of respect for their dollars and the fact that they can share in the experience with so many others.
All in all, Sony lists over 60 revisions to the game, geared at helping gamers who are blind or deaf as well as options for those with loss of a limb, or button control issues. In other words: The goal is to not turn a game into something where fewer people can play, but to allow the most possible players to come to the table and participate.
Speaking to The Washington Post, Sherry Toh, a disabled journalist, offered these thoughts: “I won’t be paying $70 for accessibility. I’ll be paying $70 for a new game I’ve never played.”
Sony isn’t alone. Microsoft has been at the forefront of advancing accessibility options in their games and peripherals. This summer, Microsoft published their gaming accessibility guidelines, hoping to continue the expansion of accessibility not just to their own software, but also to third-party software that utilizes their online storefront. Microsoft talked extensively about their gaming outreach:
Dan is 21 and has Cerebral Palsy. He uses four switches similar to the ones on his tray (directional switches he uses to drive his chair) connected to the Xbox Adaptive Controller and then remapped so the output is the same as a joystick. He also uses the two-button setting in FIFA with two head switches. When he plays FIFA, he always plays as his favourite team, Chelsea.
“Before the Xbox Adaptive Controller was available I had to watch my brother play games but now I can get involved, too,” he said. “Gaming has allowed me to connect with my friends and peers, and I’ve also made new friends at other colleges by playing them at FIFA.”
Blind gamers have all been quick to react to the support, and commenters encourage them with support and love for the fact that new players are able to have this experience. From a commenter:
I am sitting here, watching you play one of my favorite games. And I have tears in my eyes. Because it is beautiful to see that a masterpiece like this can be played by people that view the world differently than me. Thanks for sharing your playthrough. It is very interesting to see the game through your perception. Your commentary was very useful to understand your thought process.
You’re not alone. Play on!