Steam is set to introduce new tags designed to assist disabled players in "searching for games based on accessibility features"

Valve's digital distribution service, Steam, is set to introduce new accessibility tags for developers. This initiative aims to enhance the gaming experience for players with disabilities by allowing developers to provide detailed accessibility information about their games.

A new questionnaire has been added to Steamworks, enabling developers to outline the accessibility features of their games. These features include options for gameplay adjustments like difficulty settings, text customization, color schemes, high contrast modes, and audio options such as speech-to-text and narrated menus.

Developers will find this questionnaire within the "edit store" section of Steamworks. According to Valve, later in the year, players will gain the ability to search for games based on specific accessibility characteristics.

Additionally, accessibility features will soon appear in the sidebar of game store pages on Steam.

Valve stated, "Our goal has been to create a more inclusive environment on Steam by simplifying the process of finding games with accessibility features, reflecting feedback from both developers and disabled gamers."

The company's introduction of these tags follows a different approach than the one taken by the ESA's Accessibility Games Initiative. Consultant and blind gamer Steve Saylor noted potential challenges in distinguishing between these two systems in the future.

Recently, Valve's Steam platform faced criticism from UK technology secretary Peter Kyle regarding a game that included explicit non-consensual and violent content. This resulted in its removal from the UK, Canada, and Australia. Developer Zerat Games decided to withdraw their game from Steam, expressing a desire to avoid further complications for Valve's services.