#SoEveryoneCanGame

Professional Development

A royal blue roundish blob background small orange circles on top and on top of that a photo of a little boy laughing in a red t-shirt playing a video game using an adaptive controller while his little brother looks on

Our Peer Counselors and Engineers can do amazing things to get a player with physical disabilities back in the game. However, there is nothing that we can do within those teams to support, for example, a Deaf player. A Deaf player will need software-based solutions, and that is why AbleGamers has the Professional Development Pillar.

We work to educate the developers that make the games. We teach them about the needs of all players with disabilities, from the needs of a Deaf player to the needs of a player with neurodiversity options.

Accessible Player Experience Design Patterns

Years of work lead to the creation of the Accessible Player Experience Design Patterns, or as we call them, APX. We worked with over 400 players with disabilities in our User Research Pillar and started to see some data that led us to this discovery. Launched in Oct of 2018, APX is a set of 22 design patterns that help developers craft experiences that lead to players with disabilities being able to enjoy. These patterns are open source and are used by countless studios to help make their games more accessible to all players. To see and use those patterns, click here.

Certified APX Practitioner

AbleGamers has been the driving force to move the industry. But, as they have evolved, we found that so many developers wanted to go beyond the APX Design patterns and really dive into creating a more inviting world for players with disabilities. So AbleGamers spent 2 years developing our 2-day training program that gives game designers the deep knowledge to really move the needle on accessibility in their studios.

In the first 18 months of the program, AbleGamers has certified over 160 developers from triple-A studios like Blizzard and Square Enix to Indie developers wanting to make sure all can enjoy their hard work. To learn more click here.

testimonial block - A GAME ARTIST AND DEVELOPER wrote, "APXP training has given me an entirely new perspective on designing games in just two days- it's an experience I'd recommend to everyone in the game industry."

testimonial block - a UX Strategist and Game Designer wrote, "I am a user experience and game designer with a lifelong focus on inclusive experiences and bridging the digital divide. This course is life-changing. It challenged me to rethink and assess my own assumptions. It provided insights, tools, language, and skills that apply to game design and any design experience. Importantly, it provides the means to demonstrate and speak to improving the experience overall by using an accessible lens from the start. These tools help shift start the dialogue from a proactive stance and allow me to start shifting culture and perceptions around the value of accessibility. Thank you!"

testimonial block - A graduate student wrote, "The APXP course was a fantastic way to learn about creating accessible experiences and build confidence in advocating for accessibility in the game community. I learned so much and feel confident that I have the tools to create more accessible games in the future. The environment in the training was uplifting and safe for individuals of all levels of prior experience. I highly recommend it. "

testimonial block - a Technical Producer wrote, "The APXP training was eye-opening to the wide array of accessibility barriers that games can present, and offered awesome and creative solutions that developers can implement to help make our games inclusive, welcoming, and fun for every player."

testimonial block - A creative director wrote, "Designing for accessibility is critical, but sometimes it's difficult to know where to start. APXP training opened my eyes to accessibility blind spots, increased my worldview of what accessibility even means, and gave me the practical tools to take action from the beginning of the design process. Everyone in our medium needs to take this course."

testimonial block - an Indie GameDev wrote, "It supercharged my understanding of games accessibility!"

DPAD Initiative – Developers Promoting Accessibility & Diversity

In August 2020 we launched our Developers Promoting Accessibility & Diversity (DPAD) Initiative to assist in cultivating a more inclusive gaming industry. The DPAD Initiative focuses on granting marginalized developers (including developers who are disabled, people of color, women, and/or members of the LGBTQIA+ community), free access to the Accessible Player Experience Practitioner (APXP) Course developed and delivered by the AbleGamers Charity.

Not only is the completion of the APXP Course a resume distinguisher, but it also presents a unique opportunity to interact with other developers through the community of APX Practitioners we’re building with each course. DPAD Initiates will be on the front lines of opportunity. As we train dozens of initiates each year, we’ll hopefully begin to shift the dynamics of inequality and under-representation in this space.

If you are interested in being a part of the DPAD Initiative and the opportunity to attend a free session of the AbleGamers Accessible Player Experience Practitioner (APXP) Course, you can find the application HERE.