• Registered: 2008-05-27
  • Posts: 43

Topic: White Paper published

A white paper entitled Gaming on a Collision Course -Averting significant revenue loss by making games accessible to older Americans was published last week by 7-128 Software's Eleanor Robinson and Stephanie Walker from Able Gamers Foundation.  It highlights the graying of gamers and the fact that disability is not distributed evenly across the age range.  Over 40% of the over 65 year old population reported one or more disability.  This means that over the next few years, the baby boomer population bulge will be over 65.  Many of them will be unable to play the games they like unless accessibility accommodations are built into them.

You can read this paper by going to our website at 7128.com.

This may be an ideal opportunity to encourage game developers to include some accessibility accommodations into their games.

Eleanor Robinson
7-128 Software

  • Brian
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  • Registered: 2009-03-30
  • Posts: 50

Re: White Paper published

This looks really good Eleanor. This looks like a very strong case and very usuable to wave into people's faces. Thank you for posting!

  • Registered: 2008-05-27
  • Posts: 43

Re: White Paper published

ESA 2010 Essential Facts Report Supports the Conclusions of the Gaming on a Collision Course white paper.

ESA has just released their 2010 annual “Essential Facts about the computer and video game industry” report.  The percent of American households that plays computer or video games has risen to 67% from 65%.   The average game player age has also risen to 34, and the percent of gamers over the age of 50 has risen to 26% more than those gamers under age 18.  All of these figures support the findings spelled out in the white paper written by Eleanor Robinson from 7-128 Software and Stephanie Walker from AbleGamers Foundation.

It is clear that if the trend continues, more and more potential customers will be unable to play computer and video games because age-related disabilities (as well as non-age-related disabilities) prevent them from accessing the games of their choice.  If game developers continue to ignore including accessibility options in their games there will be a lot of very unhappy former customers.  Since many games take several years to develop, the loss of potential revenue will only continue to increase even if the developers start the changes today.

You can read the Gaming on a Collision Course paper at our website, 7128.com or at the AbleGamers website.
Eleanor Robinson
7-128 Software

  • Registered: 2006-01-23
  • Posts: 83

Re: White Paper published

The 2010 Essential Facts About the Computer and Video Game Industry is really interesting and alarming at the same time. Interesting that the words disabled, disabilities, accessibility, handicap, etc. do not appear in the review paper. It is alarming that accessibility does not seem a subject at all when we look at mainstream games. Does this mean that all the work we are doing is for nothing? I hope that in this forum people can help eachother find solutions to the ongoing inaccessibility. At the same time, we should not give up the struggle.

And to say something positive: I see an increase in games for people with disabilties in de serious games spectrum. Also egoverment and ehealth game-initiatives seem to have accessibility on their agenda more and more....

The ESA report can be directly downloaded from the Entertainment Software Association website:
http://www.theesa.com/facts/pdfs/ESA_Es … s_2010.PDF

Eric

  • Registered: 2006-01-23
  • Posts: 83

Re: White Paper published

Also interesting and alarming is the PEW/INTERNET research on Teens, Video Games and Civics. This research by Amanda Lenhart describes civic possibilities of games and also does not look at accessibility....

More information at:
http://www.pewinternet.org/Reports/2008 … ivics.aspx

The research is available at:
http://www.google.nl/url?q=http://www.p … _FINAL.pdf

So.. anyone have a paper on accessibility of games, written recently? Make my day!!

Eric