A prominent charity advocates for "consistent, enforceable standards" to ensure video games are accessible to players with visual impairments

The Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) is urging the implementation of "consistent, enforceable standards" to make video games more accessible for players with visual impairments.

A white paper published by the RNIB highlights the challenge visually impaired individuals face in gaming, noting that games have traditionally been challenging or completely unplayable for them. The paper emphasizes that accessibility issues, not lack of interest or ability, prevent these players from enjoying games, some of which are priced as high as £70 without clear information about accessibility options.

The RNIB's report recommends the game industry to undergo a "cultural change" that views accessibility as an innovation driver and focuses on inclusive design, rather than just meeting compliance. It suggests actively involving disabled gamers, including those with vision impairments, in the design process to ensure that game challenges originate from intentional design rather than interface issues.

The report also advocates for new games to carry accessibility labels and information, ensuring clarity for those who are blind or have partial vision.

The white paper acknowledges that while some individual efforts have improved game and platform accessibility, there is a lack of an industry-wide, enforceable standard to guarantee accessibility.

John Paton, the RNIB's media, culture, and immersive technologies manager, commented, "RNIB has long worked to make streaming services and video content accessible to the visually impaired, with regulation from Ofcom, but similar guidelines do not exist for gaming."

He added, "This White Paper advocates for specific accessibility standards in gaming and explores the possibility of government incentives to encourage the development of fully accessible games. Our discussions with the gaming industry have been promising, but this is merely the beginning."

In 2024, the RNIB introduced the Design for Every Game initiative to aid developers in creating games accessible to individuals with sight loss.