Microsoft has always gone to extreme lengths to make gaming accessible to as many people as possible. In 2018, for example, it released the Xbox Adaptive Controller - designed primarily to meet the needs of gamers with limited mobility.
Now, in an attempt to make its next-generation consoles just a little more accessible, it's added tactile indicators over ports to assist anyone who is visually impaired. According to Microsoft's Inclusive Tech Lab lead, Bryce Johnson, it should also help with "reach-around cabling" and cable management, in general.
While it's not necessarily a "complete solution" just yet - it certainly seems like a fantastic and inclusive feature.
As noted by Johnson, Xbox Gaming Accessibility Progam Manager, Kaitlyn Jones, worked with the Inclusive Tech Lab to make this happen. Jones followed up this tweet with her own shot of the Xbox Series S - which also comes with tactile indicators.
Even some people within Xbox Game Studios said they didn't know about this, such as Halo community manager, John Junyszek:
"wow, I had no idea. I love this!"
It's great to see the design teams within Microsoft improving the system with little touches like this and striving to make gaming more accessible than ever before.
What do you think of this inclusive design feature? Can you see yourself making use of it? Tell us down below.
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[source twitter.com]
Comments 16
Xbox engineering team has really done a great job going for a very thoughtful, functional and unique design for easier user experience. 🥳🙌💚
https://youtu.be/VL2r3BmZ_Fg
While this is great in theory, are the bumps actually helpful to the blind? I.e. they’re not actual Braille and to the best of my knowledge
While I absolutely praise Microsoft for doing this AT ALL (plus their other wonderful accessibility efforts) and they admit it’s not a complete system it does seems a standard is needed (it may exist, I googled couldn't find, forgive my ignorance) and might help more widespread adoption
@Deadcow absolutely was my hope.
And 100% correct on situational disability too. PS4 and Pro are a nightmare as all the vents feel like ports when reaching around
That is very thoughtful.
However with both next gen consoles being a bit large and positioning for air flow etc being important I hope the power and hdmi cable lengths are going to be of good length.
I’m sure with each generation these cables get shorter and make positioning even more awkward. Let’s hope they haven’t been tight on length here because of costs.
Very thoughtful, might not use it often, but might come in handy one day.
I expect it to be extremely handy most of the time to some people and that's what matters.
The thing that struck me was my inability to every get a usb cable the correct way up first time!
Seriously hope that simple dots and dashes for ports could be taken as an industry standard for all consoles in future, IF other companies swallowed their pride because they didn't think of it first.
@Xiovanni Many people connect and disconnect cables without moving the console out of the TV cabinet and turning the lights on. How many times I have touched the back of my consoles and A/V receiver not looking at their backs and trying to figure the ports out with my fingers!
Now I know that 1=power, 2=Ethernet, 3=USB, 4=Expansion and LINE= HDMI.
And no, I'm not blind, I don't even really need to wear glasses.
What games do blind people play?
I don’t find it that difficult to require this. You still gotta hope the USB and HDMI to be the right way round.
Also why does the system need to be moved after it’s been set up? And surely if you’re moving it you’d take the cables too so you could just plug them in while looking at where their going
@sandman89 @themightyant Its not so much for the “blind” as for the “visually impaired”. Which encompasses a lot of visually issues not just the complete inability to see. In fact that would be “blindness”. These people wouldn’t necessarily need to know Braille. If that makes sense?
If doesn’t; I wear glasses but if I didn’t; I could use these bump to put the plugs in the back in the right place. But I don’t know Braille because I don’t need to. Most people with some sort of vision loss are referred to as “visually impaired”; it’s just glasses are so common place.
@sandman89 The Last of Us Part 2, for example, did a lot of amazing work on that game so blind or deaf people could enjoy it. It's really incredible.
These are used on all kinds of devices so why not consoles too, nice idea...
Is there any kind of cabling other than reach around cabling? I'm many decades, if it exists, I have yet to see it in person.
@NEStalgia depends which direction you put the console... maybe we’ve been doing it wrong all this time (low-key mindblown)
@themightyant Braille is different in other languages. So that couldn't be used.
@NEStalgia Wireless cables. Coming soon in 2021!
@Octane what formats and can I order by the pallet? . Seriously, I've blind cabled everything from vcrs to entire server racks since forever. Didn't know anyone ever saw the ports they plug into. You just learn the port by the feel of the orifice.....
@themightyant and the #1 reason to go digital is: you can have the cables face front!
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