Game Accessibility: A Practical Guide to Settings and Features

Start with the task you need to change

A feature label tells you that an option exists. It does not show whether the option changes the part of a game that is difficult for you. Start with one task, such as reading a menu, pressing two buttons at once, hearing a cue, or joining a voice chat.

Describe the barrier in plain terms. Then look for a setting that changes that task. The same feature can help one player and distract another, so use feature names as search terms rather than promises.

You do not need a diagnosis to use an accessibility setting. You can choose a different control, display or audio option because it fits your needs or preferences.

Check controller and input options

Button remapping changes what a button does. Consoles and accessories can offer remapping at the system level, while some games provide additional controls. Xbox documents button mapping through its Accessories app for supported controllers and external devices. PlayStation documents custom assignments for the DualSense wireless controller. Nintendo documents button mapping for supported controllers.

System-level remapping does not confirm that every game accepts a controller or lets you change each action. Check the game's control menu and test the actions you need in the game mode you plan to play.

• Can you change movement, camera, menu and action inputs separately?
• Can a repeated action use a toggle instead of a press-and-hold input?
• Does the game support the controller or external device that you plan to use?

Check vision and reading options

System menus and game screens can have different settings. Console options can help you read menus, but they do not guarantee the same support inside each game.

PS5 settings include screen zoom, text size, high contrast, color correction and a screen reader. Xbox lists options such as Narrator, Magnifier, High Contrast and color filters. These features can help with system navigation and supported experiences.

Nintendo states that its text size, bold text and contrast settings affect the HOME Menu and System Settings, not gameplay. Check the individual game for text size, contrast, color and screen-reader support.

• Look for larger text, adjustable subtitles and clear menu focus.
• Check whether important information uses color alone.
• Find out whether a screen reader reads the game itself or only system menus.

Check audio, captions and communication

Check the target game for subtitles and captions. Look for options that change text size, background, position and speaker labels. A setting name alone does not tell you which dialogue or sound cues it includes.

Console caption settings can apply to media apps rather than games. PS5 documentation lists closed captions for media, mono audio for headphones and chat transcription. Chat transcription converts speech to text and is available in supported games and party chat.

Nintendo Switch 2 documents speech-to-text and text-to-speech for GameChat. Nintendo lists supported languages and notes that some options require a system update. Check those limits before you rely on a feature.

• Can you adjust dialogue and sound-effect volume separately?
• Do captions identify speakers or important non-speech sounds?
• Does voice or text chat support the languages and game modes you use?

Check gameplay, difficulty and pacing controls

Some options change how a game responds during play. Look for adjustable difficulty, aim support, game speed, timing windows, repeated-input controls, checkpoints and ways to reduce motion. Availability differs by title and mode.

These controls are usually specific to a game. A console setting cannot promise that a game will include an assist, change its timing or provide a checkpoint where you need one.

When a feature matters to you, search the game's own settings and support information. If possible, test it in a demo or an early section before you commit to a long play session.

Compare feature lists, then test them

PlayStation Store game pages and Xbox digital stores can show accessibility feature information for supported titles. Use those lists to narrow your search, then read the game's support page for details about how a feature works.

Compare the same game on the platform where you will play it. Features can vary by system, game version, language, region and update. Do not assume that a feature listed for one version also appears in another.

Change one setting at a time. Try it in the menu, a normal gameplay section and any mode you plan to use. This makes it easier to see what changed and whether the setting solves the task you identified.

• Write down the task that creates a barrier.
• Find the setting or device that can change that task.
• Check platform, language, region, update and game-mode limits.
• Keep the options that work for you and revisit them when the game changes.