Microsoft has announced new accessibility features for Xbox that will be available in the coming months. These features include the ability to remap keyboard keys to the Xbox Adaptive Controller and Elite Series 2. With this update, players with limited mobility will have the option to use the Xbox Adaptive Controller with games that traditionally only support mouse and keyboard.
The remapping feature will allow players to assign almost 90 keyboard keys, or combinations of keys, to any button on the Xbox Adaptive Controller and Elite Series 2. Xbox Insiders and Xbox Accessibility Insiders League (XAIL) members are currently testing this feature, and it is expected to be launched for all players in the coming months.
Alongside the remapping feature, Microsoft is also introducing ‘Game Accessibility’ settings for Xbox Widgets on the Windows PC Game Bar. These settings, which will launch on October 19th, will make it easier for players to find visual and audio-related accessibility options on the platform.
Furthermore, Microsoft has updated the Xbox Store to include a new ‘Accessibility in Games’ channel. This channel will display all games that are tagged with accessibility options. Previously, only games with six or more accessibility tags were highlighted, but now players can filter games based on Gameplay, Audio, or Visual and Input accessibility criteria.
Microsoft has also made accessibility improvements to some of its first-party games. For example, Sea of Thieves now features audio cues to assist blind or low vision players in targeting opponents. You can find more details on these updates on Xbox Wire.
In other news, Eurogamer contributor Geoffrey Bunting covered the discussions that took place at this year’s game accessibility focused GAconf on the site.