The player demographics are getting more diverse. In 2020, more people aged 55 to 64 were playing video games. 32% more people in that age group played video games compared to 2018. Spending more time at home during the pandemic and looking for new ways to get entertained was one reason for this significant increase. Another reason why the older gaming group has grown in size in the last couple of years is that first-generation gamers are simply getting older.
With a more diverse audience playing video games, there’s a growing need to make games more inclusive. More and more gaming studios are implementing accessibility features in their games to make them playable for more people. Accessibility features may include features specific to impaired people, an easier difficulty mode, or more options to change the audio or displayed text.
This growing need for more accessibility is reflected in online discussions. Online conversations around gaming and accessibility increased by 14% in 2022 compared to 2021. And compared to 2019, it’s an even bigger increase: 52%. The most engaged with article about accessibility in gaming was a PlayStation article talking about the accessibility features of their new God of War game. And it received nearly 12k engagements.
While some consumers praised gaming brands for doing it right, there’s still room for improvement. 66% of all sentiment-categorized online mentions were negative, and anger was the most prominent emotion in those conversations. The lack of accessibility features was not the only cause of angry discussions. The gaming community also discussed what accessibility in gaming really means. Some players argue that adding story difficulty settings makes the games too easy, while others add several other reasons why accessibility features are important.
This presents a chance for brands in the gaming industry to educate their community and raise awareness about different accessibility options. Brands that listen to consumers and their needs can improve their product experience and ultimately reach new target audiences.
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