Mar 1, 2022 8:00 AM

VR Is Here to Stay. It's Time to Make It Accessible

The platform is relatively new—which means now is the opportunity to advocate for all players.

Double exposure photograph of woman wearing VR Glasses

With the recent unveiling of the PlayStation VR2, Sony brings its virtual reality system to current console generations, proving that VR is here to stay. The Oculus Quest 2, Valve Index, and now the PS VR2 are just some of the headsets that people can use to explore historic locations, become characters in games, and even create unique avatars for socializing with friends. But the announcement of new VR systems always poses the same question–will disabled people be able to use them?

Even though some VR games include accessibility options and inclusive design practices, like Polyarc Games’ Moss, which features the main character using ASL, VR’s reliance on physical movements can be a deterrent for many players with motor disabilities. Beyond that, the headsets and screen resolution can lead to numerous barriers for low-vision users, so much so that games without appropriate features or accessible design are completely unplayable. And as accessibility evolves, the presence of VR is indicative of an industry that still has much to learn.

Accessibility consultant Erin “geekygimp” Hawley’s physical disability prevents her from enjoying many VR games. With muscular dystrophy, Hawley cannot stand and can only move her right hand a few inches; she cannot move her left. She has an Oculus Quest 2, but she is limited in what she can play.

“VR is really not accessible for me. I have to hold the right controller at a weird angle to both reach the trigger button and aim the pointer at objects on the screen,” Hawley says. “The need to use both controllers and to reach objects that are up high locks me out of most apps and games. Also, when you have to turn your whole body to look at something, that’s almost impossible—I have to drive my wheelchair in a circle while holding on to the VR controllers.”

Hawley acknowledges that developers are trying to make their games inclusive, and because VR is relatively new in terms of overall industry support, the opportunity to create accessible experiences is still being explored. Yet, without proper options or accessible design, Hawley cannot even access games or apps like historic simulations. Something like the Anne Frank House VR tour, an experience that should be accessible to all, is filled with barriers that make the tour impossible to complete.

“I got to a part where I had to mimic opening a door, but there was no way I could do it with the controllers,” she says. “Why couldn’t there be an option to open the door with the press of a button? I understand the need to feel immersed, but I also can’t open a door in the real world, so it just ends up locking me out. Literally.”

Hawley is not alone in her frustration. People like accessibility advocate Daniel “AccessibleDan” Gilbert and content creator Kristie “KristieMJM” Matheson cannot play VR games that require big movements. Like Hawley, Gilbert failed to make it through the Anne Frank House VR tour due to necessary motion controls. “At one point it requires the user to physically interact with the bookcase that leads to the tour, and I couldn’t progress. It really upset me that even educational content was inaccessible,” he says.

For Matheson, a spinal cord injury at birth led to paralysis on the right side of her body, resulting in balance issues and weakness. Because of this, VR games that require extensive range of motion on both sides of the body are incredibly difficult to play. Further, the headset itself can negatively affect her balance. “Devs need to recognize that not everyone can do everything using all parts of their body and maybe need to sit down if playing games with VR,” she says. Despite her and Gilbert’s inability to play certain games, Matheson still believes VR can be accessible, if developers design games with disabled audiences in mind.

“I think VR can be included in the future of accessible gaming, with the right consultation and testing. It just needs to be more open-minded when it comes to what its ideal gamer looks like.”

People with motor disabilities are not the only ones who struggle. Individuals with chronic pain or limited vision also run into barriers in VR. Content creator Janae “Janey Laney” McPhaul and Kongregate producer Anne Teensma both criticize the egregious motions often required in VR games. For McPhaul, VR is only playable if games offer stationary modes and don’t require full arm movements. Even then, there are still times when she is unable to play. “When I am bedridden and cannot move my arms as much, I often find myself watching movies instead of actively playing or interacting,” McPhaul says.

With Teensma, her disabilities make VR virtually unplayable. Her nearsightedness, coupled with hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, means that the overall shape and weight of a headset are not only uncomfortable but impractical.

“I have yet to find a VR headset that sits comfortably on my face and fits over my glasses,” she says. “My choice is either to play without my glasses on—meaning at best I see a bunch of colored blurs with a weird bokeh effect due to my severe nearsightedness and astigmatism. Second, with chronic pain and heightened pain reception from hEDS, the weight of the headset means I physically cannot wear the headset for longer than maybe five to 10 minutes, if that.”

Teensma’s critique, particularly with her inability to wear headsets because of her glasses and chronic pain, highlights a significant barrier when playing VR. For disabled players that require an aid, whether visual- or mobility-based, VR is incredibly restrictive, often forcing people to play a specific way without providing an alternative means of access.

“Somewhere around 75 percent of adults and 25 percent of children and teens wear corrective lenses, and at least 10 percent of the world's population, if not more, experience some form of chronic pain,” she says. She urges players and developers alike to remember that “not everyone who wants to play VR has perfect vision or the ability to obtain or wear contacts, or a pain-free existence. Also, make more VR games that do not require so much physical movement, especially for those who may have mobility issues.”

Content creator and accessibility consultant James Rath shares Teensma’s sentiments about the inaccessibility of VR for blind and low-vision users. Rath, who was born with ocular albinism, nystagmus, and astigmatism cannot play games unless screens are positioned inches from his face. And while VR headsets ultimately require that individuals place screens close to their eyes, the lack of options and features designed to benefit blind and low-vision users within games prevents Rath from fully enjoying them.

“The biggest barrier is having a lack of options for adjusting visual settings such as text size, contrast settings, shaders, et cetera,” he says. “If developers make their games’ assets and UIs too small, it doesn’t matter how close to my face it is. I’ll be blind to it. I have used a Samsung Galaxy Gear VR and an HTC Vive. Both were manageable, but it was dependent on the app and the resolution at which apps were set to.”

Aside from visual options, Rath notes that sound design is also crucial for him and for blind and low-vision individuals. And he says features like text-to-speech are not only great accessibility tools but could be thematically important for certain VR games or genres. “If I can have menus read aloud to me, fantastic,” he says. “It can also add to the feeling that many VR games or apps try to set you in a futuristic, hi-tech future. At the end of the day, just because the screens are so close to the eyes, don’t make UIs minuscule. If anything, allow the user to customize these text and menu sizes.”

Accessibility in games is quickly becoming the norm. As studios continue to innovate and implement accessible features and inclusive design, disabled players can successfully access titles across a variety of platforms. Yet VR is still riddled with barriers, in both hardware and software, that prevent or discourage disabled players from enjoying a new experience. And as Erin Hawley notes, disabled people should never feel excluded.

“Whenever a disabled person advocates for inclusion, even in gaming, and especially in tech, there’s this idea that ‘not everything is for everyone,’ and that’s just so wrong,” she says. “It is not only problematic to think disabled people shouldn’t have access to gaming, but that attitude stifles creativity and innovation. It stifles progress that can benefit disabled and nondisabled people alike.”

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