Baseline

User is provided with individual audio controls to adjust volume levels independently. We recommend at least:

• Narration Volume
• Chat Volume
• Music Volume
• SFX Volume
• Dialog Volume

Upgrades

Split SFX Volume into at least two separate controls:

• Ambient SFX (environmental, crowd noise, etc.)
• Gameplay SFX (footfalls, weapons, etc.)

Baseline

• Screen narration is supported for all UI menus (English only) to the quality bar defined in the XARs.
• Menu UI text and state changes moving between menus support the option to use screen readers that are available on the platform and/or voice out of the UI through a speech synthesizer.
• The title supports a focus order that's aligned with the meaning or operation of the UI.
• After a change in context has occurred, the user is notified via narration of the new context.
• All context changes are user initiated.
• Users are notified via narration of events that are relevant to user interactions (changes in component states, value, or description).
• All of the title's menu UI is narrated.

Upgrades

• Narration is supported for additional languages (recommended FIGS+ | FIGS = French, Italian, German, Spanish).
• Menu UI text and state changes moving between menus support the option to use screen readers that are available on the platform and/or voice out of the UI through a speech synthesizer (FIGS).
• The title supports a focus order that's aligned with the meaning or operation of the UI (FIGS).
• After a change in context has occurred, the user is notified via narration of the new context (FIGS).
• All context changes are user initiated (FIGS).
• Users are notified via narration of events that are relevant to user interactions (changes in component states, value, or description) (FIGS).
• All of the title's menu UI is narrated (FIGS).

Baseline

• Titles supports stereo or 5.1/7.1 audio directionality for world positioned gameplay elements that are critical to understanding gameplay or understanding the narrative.
  • Store Metadata (or confirmation via the studio) confirms that the title supports Dolby Atmos.
  • The title provides an option to enable and disable spatial audio or utilizes platform-level settings to do so.
  • Spatial audio includes sound effects, narration, and any other important game sounds that help the player determine the directionality of the audio.

Upgrades

• Support for spatial audio, which must support verticality (heigh channel information).
• Support for mono audio (can be configured at a platform level - games must add an option for platforms that don't support this natively).

Notes

Multiplayer here refers to any multiplayer co-op or PvP.

Pausing means that the entire game is paused. The idea is that if someone needs to stop and take a break they are not penalized with negative consequences for needing to take the break.

Baseline

• Games can be paused at any point during gameplay or cinematics (Does not apply during multiplayer sessions).

Upgrades

• Game provides difficulty presets - at least 4 total where one of them is an ultra-low difficulty mode (example: Story Mode).
• Gameplay in each of the applicable game modes can be paused (Does not apply during multiplayer sessions).
• Cinematic in each of the applicable game modes can be paused (Does not apply during multiplayer sessions).
• Game provides the ability for players to independently adjust specific mechanics that affect the difficulty of the game.
• The game includes four or more difficulty levels.
• The game provides the ability for players to individually adjust specific mechanics that impact difficulty of the game.
• The game provides an ultra-low difficulty mode.
• The difficulty names are not insulting to the user (e.g. "Baby Mode," "Wimp Mode," etc.).

Baseline

• Input sensitivity is adjustable for all analog inputs, and each one can be adjusted independently (sticks, triggers, etc.).
• Player can configure controls to remove any required button hold actions (stick/dpad use for movement are exempt).
• An alternate experience is available for any Quick Time Events in gameplay.

Upgrades

• Player is able to configure controls to remove any repeated button tap actions.

Baseline

Provide users with a method to customize the mapping of controls for all supported input devices.

• All gameplay actions can be remapped to alternate inputs.
• All gameplay actions can be mapped to digital or analog inputs.
• X-axis and Y-axis can both be independently inverted.
• UI prompts in-game reflect any user-customized controls.

Upgrades

• All buttons are available for remapping (includign the menu/view buttons on an XBOX Controller).
• All UI actions can be remapped to alternate inputs.
  • Exception: D-pad / LS to navigate, A to select, and B to cancel/go back are considered "standard" and do not need to be remappable.
  • Exception: If additional inputs are option to navigate the UI they do not need to be remappable.

Baseline

• UI focus is fully controllable using either analog or digital controls.
• UI is navigable using single, non-simultaneous button presses.

Upgrades

• UI is navigable only using standard inputs (LS, A, B) (Arrow Keys, Enter, Esc).
  • Exception: If all other inputs are remappable, they are acceptable.

Baseline

• The title’s gameplay does not include any camera shake or camera bobbing [or] an option must exist to turn off these behaviors.
• Option is provided to disable camera shake / bob (or there is no camera shake / bob by default) in all gameplay.
• Option is provided to disable motion blur (or there is no motion blur by default) in all gameplay.
• There is no motion blur or camera shake / bob in narrative critical cinematics or an option is provided to disable motion blur or camera shake/bob in those cinematics.

Upgrades

• Option is provided to remove or reduce "forced look" or non-player controlled camera movement in gameplay and cinematics.
• Option is provided to adjust Field of View (FOV).
• There is no motion blur or camera shake / bob in any cinematics or an option is provided to disable motion blur or camera shake/bob in all cinematics.

Baseline

Any audio content that is critical to understanding gameplay or understanding the narrative that is not covered through 2+ sensory methods will have a text description available via the subtitling system in the game.

If the audio is already being presented through other on-screen visuals or haptics, captioning the audio is not required for the essential baseline.

• Captions can be set to at least 24px @1080p in all cases.
• Captions have a contrast of 4.5:1 in all cases.
• Captions clearly identify the source of the audio.
• Captions can be enabled before any content is presented to the user or are enabled by default.
• Captions are provided for all gameplay or narrative critical sounds.
• Captions use a sans-serif font and are presented in mixed-case or are configurable to this.

Upgrades

• Caption default text size is 26px @ 1080p.
• Caption text size can be scaled up to 200% from the default size.
• Caption background opacity can be adjusted up to 100% opaque.
• Caption text color and background is adjustable (ideally, per sound/caption class).
• Captions clearly identify the direction of the audio source.

Baseline

Any content that is critical to understanding gameplay or understanding the narrative must be color-blind friendly.

This can be achieved either by default — not using color to communicate critical elements / always providing secondary signifiers — or by:

• Providing an option to turn on additional signifiers (shapes, icons, patterns, etc.).
• Allowing the player to directly customize and configure colors used as signifiers.
• Providing preset color options for at least Protanopia, Deuteranopia and Tritanopia.

Upgrades

Any content that is critical to understanding gameplay or understanding the narrative must be communicated through 2+ sensory methods.

• Any information that is conveyed primarily through audio must also provide a visual reference (and/or haptic with a controller).
• Any information that is conveyed primarily through visuals must also provide an audio reference (and/or haptic with a controller).

Baseline

• Subtitles can be set to at least 24px @1080p.
• Subtitle contrast is at least 4.5:1 in all cases.
• Subtitles clearly identify the speaker.
• Subtitles can be enabled before any content is presented to the user (or are enabled by default).
• Subtitles are provided for all spoken content.
  • For titles with extensive ambient dialog (crowd murmur, etc.) work with XGS accessibility to align on expectations.
• Subtitles use a sans-serif font and are presented in mixed-case (or are configurable to this).

Upgrades

• Subtitle default text size is 26px @ 1080p.
• Subtitle text size can be scaled up to 200% from the default size.
• Subtitle background opacity can be adjusted up to 100% opaque.
• Subtitle text color and background is adjustable.

Baseline

• All UI text can be set to at least 24px @1080p.
• All UI text meets a contrast ratio of 4.5:1.
• User is never required to scroll in multiple directions to read text (horizontal or vertical scrolling is fine, but not both).

Upgrades

• All UI Text uses a sans-serif font (or can be configured to use one).
• All UI default text size is 26px @ 1080p.
• All UI text can be scaled up to 200% from the default size.

Baseline

• Basic accessibility feature settings are available to the user as part of the initial launch flow.
• Screen Narration (On/Off) - When possible the default should pull from the platform / profile setting ("Let Games Read to Me").
  • The title prompts the user to configure Screen Narration settings at the first screen that appears after when the game launches, before the main menu.
• Text scaling - If supported, users should be able to scale text size before getting to the Main Menu.
  • The title prompts the user to configure Text Scaling settings (if supported) at the first screen that appears after when the game launches, before the main menu.
• High Contrast - If supported, users should be able to select a high contrast mode before getting to the Main Menu.
  • The title prompts the user to configure Text High Contrast settings (if supported) at the first screen that appears after when the game launches, before the main menu.

All accessibility settings should be available to the user before gameplay or critical narrative content. In particular:

• Input Remapping
• Subtitle / Caption Configuration

Upgrades

Consider adding additional accessibility options in the launch flow:

• Narration volume control.
• Subtitles On / Off.
• Provide guidance to users that additional accessibility options are available.
  • Example: offer a quick link to accessibility settings on the Main Menu.

Baseline

• Mindful use of "Accessibility" as a word within marketing / documentation materials (vs. "Availability" or "Approachability").
• Set realistic expectations around accessibility (Example: "Everyone can play" may overstate capabilities).
• Clearly document Accessibility features, including descriptions and instructions for enabling.

Upgrades

• Clearly document all game options, including descriptions and instructions for enabling.
• Include Accessibility community when highlighting Accessibility features (influencers, press, etc.).