Accessibility
Ongoing coverage on Accessibility.
Latest coverage
Here Are Your Canadian Game Awards 2026 Nominees | Console Creatures
The Canadian Game Awards have announced their nominees for 2026, celebrating the Canadian games industry. The event will take place on May 21, 2026, in Toronto, with tickets available for purchase and a Fan Choice Award voted on by the public in partnership with the Entertainment Software Association of Canada. Victor Lucas will receive the Game Changer Award.
The Canadian Game Awards Has Unleashed It's 2026 Nominees & New Location
The Canadian Game Awards have announced the nominees for their 2026 ceremony, which will be held on May 21st at Toronto's John W.H. Bassett Theatre. Victor Lucas will receive the Game Changer Award. The awards celebrate Canadian developers and releases from 2025, with categories including Game of the Year, Studio of the Year, and Best Indie Game.
New Peak update adds custom runs and those campfire autosaves everyone was desperate for: "Oh now this is…
Aggro Crab and Landfall have released the 'Play It Your Way' update for their climbing game Peak, introducing highly requested quality of life features like autosave at campfires. The update also includes custom run options, mini runs, and accessibility features such as a zombie phobia mode. A new 'stupid' grapple mode has also been added for a unique gameplay experience.
Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen's recaps, new Pokedex and lower difficulty were all designed to bring in more girls and elderly players, director of the remakes says in resurfaced interview
Junichi Masuda, director of the Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen remakes, revealed in a 2004 interview that design changes were made to attract a wider audience, including girls and elderly players. These changes included lowering the overall difficulty and redesigning the Pokédex to be more like a notebook.
Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (28th March)
Several gaming industry figures share their weekend gaming plans, with titles like Super Mario Bros. Wonder, Pokopia, and Deadzone: Rogue being frequently mentioned. Discussions also touch upon Nintendo's digital game pricing strategy for the Switch 2 and hardware considerations like new laptops and the AYN Thor.
Evening Postmortems/Retrospectives
This article discusses the experience of playing Wolfenstein 3D with one hand in 2026, drawing a parallel to playing Tomb Raider with one hand in 1996. It explores themes of retro gaming and accessibility in a modern context.
Pokémon Go Adding Item That Automatically Throws Pokéballs and Spins Stops, Helping to Play the Game For You
Pokémon Go is introducing a new in-game item that will automatically catch Pokémon and spin PokéStops. This feature aims to assist players by automating gameplay elements, allowing for a more hands-off experience.
Arc System Works’ DAMON and BABY Launches With Immediate Free Update Roadmap
Arc System Works has launched DAMON and BABY on PC and Steam with a commitment to ongoing free updates, aiming to enhance the game's fun and accessibility. This strategy includes plans for gameplay expansions, improved tutorials, and quality-of-life features, contrasting with typical season pass models. The developer's track record with fighting games like Guilty Gear Strive suggests a genuine focus on community engagement and long-term support.
Hideo Kojima Directed Team to Make Death Stranding 2 More Enjoyable So “more people finish the game”
Hideo Kojima has directed Kojima Productions to make Death Stranding 2: On the Beach more enjoyable and accessible to increase player completion rates. Lead level designer Hiroaki Yoshiike revealed that the team focused on streamlining the experience and making worldbuilding more optional, balancing depth with approachability. This design shift aims to broaden the game's appeal and improve player engagement compared to the original Death Stranding.
Hideo Kojima Directed Team to Make Death Stranding 2 More Enjoyable So “more people finish the game”
Hideo Kojima has directed Kojima Productions to make Death Stranding 2: On the Beach more enjoyable and accessible to increase player completion rates. Lead level designer Hiroaki Yoshiike revealed that the team focused on streamlining the experience and making worldbuilding more optional, balancing depth with approachability. This design shift aims to broaden the game's appeal and improve player engagement compared to the original Death Stranding.
Pokemon Champions producer had a "heated discussion" with one of Game Freak's original battle designers about removing a complicated mechanic after 30 years to make PvP more accessible
Pokemon Champions will remove the IV stat system to make competitive play more accessible, a decision producer Masaaki Hoshino discussed with an original Game Freak battle designer. This change aims to lower the barrier to entry for players interested in the Player vs Player aspect of the series. The free-to-play title will serve as the official game for the Pokemon Video Game Championships.
GNOME Fellowship program announced to support "critical and under-resourced areas"
The GNOME Foundation has announced the GNOME Fellowship program to provide financial support for individuals working on critical and under-resourced areas of open source development. The program aims to address the reliance on volunteers for essential open source technologies. Applications are now open for the first cycle, which will begin in May 2026, with fellows generally working for 12 months on areas of their choosing, including build systems, testing frameworks, and documentation.
Interview: How An Italian Lunch Led To The New Standard For Competitive Pokémon Battling
Masaaki Hoshino, Game Producer and Development Director at The Pokémon Company, discusses the development of Pokémon Champions, an upcoming competitive battling game for the Nintendo Switch. Hoshino highlights the game's focus on accessibility for new players while maintaining depth for competitive fans, drawing inspiration from past titles like Pokkén Tournament and the core Pokémon battle system. The interview also touches on the game's planned roster expansion and the evolution of the series over its 30-year history.
Lies of P Sparks the Ultimate Gaming Dilemma: When Beautiful Games Have Scary Mechanics
The game Lies of P is sparking a debate about the accessibility of soulslike games, highlighting the conflict between beautiful visuals and challenging mechanics. While some players are intimidated by the genre's difficulty, others argue that the challenge is integral to the experience. The success of games like Elden Ring suggests a growing mainstream appetite for challenging titles, prompting developers to consider balancing difficulty with broader player engagement.
All Access
Mick Donegan discusses making games accessible for all players on the Good Game Club Podcast. The interview, available on Spotify, focuses on inclusive game design principles and their importance in the industry.
“Gaming gave me my life back”: why accessible video games are transforming disabled players’ lives
Dr. Mick Donegan, founder of SpecialEffect, discusses how accessible gaming technology is transforming the lives of disabled individuals by fostering social connection and independence. Companies like Xbox and PlayStation are increasingly adopting inclusive design, with SpecialEffect leading efforts in mobile accessibility and eye-tracking games.
Screamer review - the best arcade racer of the generation
Screamer is a surprisingly strong revival of the arcade racer genre, featuring an anime-infused story mode and an engaging, risk-reward driving model. The game offers robust multiplayer options, including four-player local split-screen, and boasts excellent accessibility features. Despite a steep learning curve, its unique mechanics and vibrant presentation make it a compelling experience for fans of the genre.
Arc Raiders in the Spotlight: Accessibility Bans, AI Dialogue Fixes, and Weapon Nerfs | Invision Game
Embark Studios' PvPvE shooter Arc Raiders is facing community backlash over accessibility peripheral bans, which the company is working to resolve. The studio has also re-recorded AI-generated voice lines with human actors and implemented significant nerfs to the Il Toro shotgun. These issues, alongside concerns about a stale meta and cheating, are currently overshadowing the lack of new content and impacting player sentiment.
First big Slay the Spire 2 patch aims "to make infinites harder to achieve" and calms down the creepiest crawlies in the roguelike with a Phobia Mode
Mega Crit has released the first major balance patch for Slay the Spire 2 on its Steam beta branch, aiming to make 'infinites' harder to achieve and introducing a new 'Phobia Mode' for accessibility. The patch includes numerous buffs and nerfs intended to impact various player builds.
Slay The Spire 2 Is Becoming A Little Less Scary, But Players Are Unhappy With Patch's Nerfs
Mega Crit has released patch notes for Slay the Spire 2's v0.100.0 update, introducing a 'Phobia Mode' to adjust certain visual elements and implementing various balance changes, including nerfs to some of the Silent's cards and reduced prices for in-shop relics. While the update is currently in beta, some community members have expressed dissatisfaction with specific nerfs, such as to the Silent's Prepared skill.
