Charitable foundation selects EA Sports' soccer game as the most accessible mainstream title for its control scheme and AI and PC settings.
The AbleGamers Foundation today announced that EA Sports' soccer simulator FIFA 13 is the recipient of the charity's Accessible Mainstream Game of the Year award. The foundation praised FIFA 13 for how it allows players to control the entire game with only a mouse, among other features.
AbleGamers editor-in-chief Steve Spohn specifically praised FIFA 13's remappable keys, customizable color options, high-contrast and "intuitive" menus, visual cues, and "high socializing replayability," which all helped the soccer sim take home the award.
"For disabled gamers with Muscular Dystrophy, Cerebral Palsy, Multiple Sclerosis, and even one-handed gamers, the ability to play such a sophisticated sports game with simple controls that can be handled by a trackball or mouse mean gamers who may not have been able to enjoy iconic sporting activities like baseball, football, hockey or soccer can now take part in the fun," Spohn said.
The top reason FIFA 13 was awarded the Accessible Mainstream Game of the Year accolade, however, was the game's AI and PC settings, which allow disabled players to tweak to the game to their needs. Spohn pointed out that FIFA 13 can be slowed down. This, he said, allows gamers with cognitive disorders and motor impairments to set an appropriate rate of speed.
2K Games' XCOM: Enemy Unknown was called out as an honorable mention for the top award based on its remappable keys, the ability to play with the keyboard or only the mouse, its subtitles, and colorblind mode. Call of Duty: Black Ops II and Dishonored were also called out as games making strides toward accessibility in 2012.
Overall, Spohn said 2012 was a "very encouraging year" for game accessibility, with some of the most disability-friendly titles to date releasing during the year. Though the year was generally positive, some games moved backwards, Spohn said, including Forza Horizon. This entry, released in October, removed "many of the most crucial accessibility features" that were present in 2010 award-winner Forza MotorSport 3, Spohn said.
Last year's Accessible Mainstream Game of the Year award was given to Star Wars: The Old Republic for incorporating accessibility features like colorblind options, full subtitles, and control options.
The AbleGamers Foundation is a public charity with a stated mission of promoting accessibility in games with a goal to "ensure that all people, regardless of their disability, can use gaming as a tool to have enriched social experiences with friends, family, and the world at large." More information is available at the group's official website.
Eddie Makuch (Mack-ooh) is a News Editor at GameSpot. He works out of the company's Boston office in Somerville, Mass., and loves extra chunky peanut butter.
Great article, Eddie! This story gives a whole other dimension to gaming. I love Fifa games, but often find myself raging at little defects. Seems kinda dumb now when I know someone else can use the same $60 product to simulate an ability they can't even partake in. And let's face it, probably beat me because I can't standing-tackle for crap
2 Like It's a very good football game will only get better and better imo with future additions, well done ea.
1 Like Fuck i hate people who compare the FIFA series to the COD series for its perceived lack of innovation or recycled nature. EA are in a deal with FIFA in which they are obliged to deliver a game each year. How many fuckin changes do people expect in a soccer sim aside from the team rosters, its not like they can change the rules of the sport to make it unique and refreshing. Why don't they add tackling and brawls to see how that fares with the soccer community.
1 Like @senseless_dj The walking dead's gameplay was intrinsically as simple as possible! They couldn't do anything to make it more accessible. If you could make a game with relatively complex interactions accessible, then you would be worthy of praise. (Note: I am not trying to say that "the walking dead" is not a great game; I am merely remarking upon its gameplay mechanics)
EA: Very good, now let us rip off the disabled people by shutting down the online services and introducing Fifa 14 -_-
1 Like I really liked how FIFA can be simplified to the point it can be played by everyone, unfortunately disabled gamers included. I wish more and more games have special accessibility with them in mind.
FIFA Soccer 13 on the Vita is little more than a roster update and lacks many of the new features from its console siblings.
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