Ready From the Start: Accessibility on Initial Launch

Introduction

First impressions matter – especially in games, where the initial launch and onboarding experience can make or break a player’s journey. For players with disabilities, the first minutes of a game often determine if they can play at all. Designing onboarding with accessibility from the start is about ensuring no player is shut out from the get-go. In this case study, we explore how to craft an onboarding experience that is inclusive by design, weaving together industry best practices, and real anecdotes of accessibility triumphs. The goal is to provide a comprehensive guide – practical for developers, rooted in standards – on making the very start of gameplay welcoming and usable for everyone.

Why focus on the start? Issues that occur on “Day One” of a user’s experience can lead to immediate drop-off. Imagine a gamer with hearing loss launching a new title only to find the opening cutscene has no subtitles – the plot kicks off and they’re already lost. Or consider a player with a motor impairment unable to get past a button hold on the calibration screen. These are not hypothetical edge cases; they represent millions of gamers.

This case study will first outline the relevant guidelines and principles that inform accessible onboarding design. Next, we’ll dive into considerations during the onboarding flow. We’ll highlight real-world examples – from AAA studios to indie successes – illustrating what works and what doesn’t. Finally, we’ll present a concise checklist of best practices. The aim is to equip you with both the knowledge and the practical steps to ensure your game is truly “ready from the start” for every player.

Accessibility Guidelines and Inclusive Design Frameworks

Before brainstorming features, it’s important to ground our approach in established accessibility guidelines and inclusive design frameworks. These serve as the foundation and justification for the recommendations in this case study.

Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG): Originally crafted for web content, WCAG 2.2 provides a robust set of recommendations highly relevant to games. WCAG’s core principles – content must be Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, and Robust – translate well into game design:

• Perceivable: Ensure that players can perceive all information presented in the intro and menus. This means text alternatives for non-text elements (e.g., screen reader narration for on-screen text, captions for spoken dialogue) so that blind or deaf players aren’t left guessing. It also means sufficient contrast and scalable text for low-vision players.
• Operable: Make sure that interacting with the game (navigating menus, pressing “Start”) doesn’t require abilities some players lack. Any timed inputs or complex gestures should have alternatives (or be avoidable) so players with motor or cognitive impairments can still proceed. For example, if your game opens with a cinematic that jumps into a button mashing Quick Time Event on launch, consider offering an alternative such as No Repeated Presses before to reduce strain.
• Understandable: The onboarding instructions and interface should be clear and not overly complicated. Use plain language and intuitive symbols. A cluttered or confusing start menu could be especially problematic for gamers with cognitive disabilities or who are new to gaming. This also covers consistency: if you have an accessibility settings menu, place it where players expect (or better yet, surface it immediately).
• Robust: Robustness in games is it’s compatibility with assistive technologies. Does your game support the platform’s screen reader API from the first screen? Does it work with alternative input devices (adaptive controllers, eye trackers) without requiring additional applications and plugins? A robust design anticipates that not everyone is on a standard controller and TV setup.

Microsoft Inclusive Design: Microsoft’s approach to inclusive design is guided by three key principles: Recognize Exclusion, Learn from Diversity, and Solve for One, Extend to Many. In the context of onboarding:

• Recognize Exclusion: Actively identify where the initial player experience might exclude someone. For example, requiring precise analog stick navigation in the first menu excludes players who can only use a D-pad or keyboard. Recognizing these pain points early turns up opportunities to eliminate them.
• Learn from Diversity: Involve gamers with disabilities in playtesting your onboarding. Diverse feedback will reveal issues others miss. As an example, sighted developers might not realize the “Press Any Button” screen has no audio cue – but a blind play tester will flag that immediately. Microsoft’s principle here pushes us to design with the disability community, not just for them.
• Solve for One, Extend to Many: Many features aimed at one group benefit others. When we add captions for deaf players, it helps players in noisy environments or who prefer reading. When we include a high-contrast mode for colorblind players, it can aid anyone playing in glare. This principle encourages us to view accessibility features as mainstream options. Solve for a specific need, and you often improve the experience for a much broader audience.

Game Accessibility Guidelines (GAG): An industry-supported resource, the Game Accessibility Guidelines​ provide a checklist of considerations divided into Basic, Intermediate, and Advanced levels. For onboarding, some of GAG’s Basic guidelines are especially relevant:

• Motor: “Ensure controls are as simple as possible, or provide a simpler alternative” For instance, menus that use triggers, a squeeze input, would be easier to navigate if D-pad and A button could also be used to highlight and select.
• Cognitive: “Avoid flickering images and repetitive patterns” many modern high action games include unnecessary flashing effects or animations that players can find distracting.
• Vision: “Use an easily readable default font size” having legible text is beneficial for both players with vision differences and varied display setups such as playing from a couch across the room.
• Hearing: “Provide separate volume controls or mutes for effects, speech and background / music” it’s common for game menus to overemphasize menu music, which could also lead to cognitive overwhelm. Allowing immediate volume controls ensures all the right cues are emphasized.

Best Practices Checklist: Accessibility-First Onboarding

Here is a quick-reference checklist that developers can use when designing and evaluating their game’s onboarding flow. This sums up key steps to ensure your game is “Ready from the Start” for all players:

• Present Accessibility Settings Early: Provide an accessibility configuration before or at the start screen.
• Skippable or Adjustable Tutorial Segments: Allow players to pause, skip, or get hints in tutorial steps if they struggle. Don’t trap the player in a progress-critical action they can’t perform.
• Screen Reader Availability: If your game supports menu narration, prompt to enable it immediately (or auto-enable if a system screen reader is detected). Players should hear something on first launch.
• Safe Volume Levels: Start with reasonable default audio volume. Avoid sudden loud sounds before the player can adjust volume. Ideally, include a volume slider in initial setup or ensure intro cinematics respect user’s system volume.
• Subtitles and Captioning: Default subtitles to ON (or ask the player). All spoken or audio tutorial info in the intro is captioned. Subtitle text is legible (sufficient size, contrast).
• Input Flexibility: Ensure the entire onboarding can be navigated with any supported controller scheme (no hybrid mandatory use of mouse and keyboard). No rapid QTE or complex combo required to advance.
• Contrast and UI Clarity: Intro menus and prompts meet contrast guidelines. No important text is obscured or too small. Consider a high-contrast mode toggle if needed.
• Communications Accessibility: For games with chat, provide options for Text-to-Speech and Speech-to-Text and highlight their existence. Default voice chat off in tutorials.
• Alternative Solutions: If the game uses unique inputs (motion control, microphone command, etc.) at start, offer an alternative method for those who cannot use that input.
• Test with Assistive Tech: Try the onboarding with a screen reader, try it with only a keyboard, try it without sound, etc. Do a quality check, or better yet, user-test with gamers with disabilities to see if they encounter blockers.

Each check above increases the likelihood that your onboarding is accessible. If you encounter difficulties with any of these features, that’s a cue to revisit the aspect and find a way to accommodate.

Game Examples

We will explore seven distinct First Time User Experiences that provide Accessibility Settings at the first launch spanning a variety of genres, each with an explanation of the FTUE-flow, video of initially launching, along with feedback for how the initial setup could improve accessibility. All games selected are popular Xbox Game Pass titles launched with the setting ‘Let Games Read to Me’ enabled in profile settings.

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024

Flight Sim 24 opens with splash screens and an extended initial load. While loading, no user interaction is required, and no settings are yet available. Upon completion, the game immediately presents a prompt to enable screen narration, ensuring blind players can engage with the interface from the start.

Following this, players are taken to the title screen, where they can access the Accessibility Setup menu. The game provides four accessibility presets tailored to visual, auditory, motor, and cognitive needs. Players can select a preset or manually adjust individual settings to create a customized experience. The setup process also includes configuring basic controls and language settings before moving forward.

Players then enter the avatar customization screen; however, narration is not supported in this step. This presents a challenge for blind players, as they may struggle to navigate customization options independently. Without an alternative solution, external assistance may be required to complete this step.

Once at the home menu, all accessibility settings remain fully adjustable before entering gameplay. Critical assistive features—such as text size adjustments, input remapping, and flight automation—are readily accessible within a dedicated Accessibility section, ensuring ease of configuration before takeoff.

Areas for Improvement:

• Audio Adjustments: Initial impressions were that the menu music was mixed much louder than the screen reader, making it difficult to hear narration until the full settings menu can be accessed. If a few dedicated volume sliders were provided on the Accessibility Presets menu, such as Music, Sound Effects, and Narration, the audio can be sooner balanced for easier interpretation.
• Cognitive Load Reduction: Given the sheer volume of settings, simplified UI modes would benefit players with cognitive disabilities or ADHD. The addition of a “Reduced Cognitive Load” mode that filters only essential data could significantly improve accessibility. This would also be beneficial to screen reader users, as this would reduce the amount of settings needed to navigate.

Battlefield 2042

Battlefield 2042 opens with its title screen, requiring A button to start, and begins connection to online services. After connection, the game displays an epilepsy warning, legal agreements, and game stat information. At this stage, no accessibility settings are available yet, and menu narration is not yet enabled, which may create friction for blind and low-vision players.

Following the legal agreements, players are prompted about menu narration, allowing them to enable it before navigating any further. After enabling narration, players are taken to the Accessibility Menu, which contains Colorblind Presets, Subtitle Options, Button Hold Configurations, Hints, and Visual Effects. By presenting accessibility settings early, Battlefield 2042 improves usability for players who require immediate customization.

After the Accessibility Menu, players are taken to the Calibration Menu, where they can adjust general settings such as Video, Sound, and Controls. Once Calibration is complete, the player is reminded that these settings can be modified from the Options menu. Proceeding, an introductory cinematic begins with the applied settings.

Ares for Improvement:

• Prompt Narration First: Narration should be prompted before the Title Screen, User Agreements, and Game Stats message, so that blind and low-vision players have access to the information.
• Complete Screen Narration: Headers, Menu Controls, Interface types, and Amount of options present should be included in Menu Narration. Immediately after enabling narration, the next item to be narrated is ‘Colorblind Presets: Off’. The player is missing context for what this menu contains as a whole and how to interact with it.
• Provide Text Size Adjustments: The text presented in the first time user experience is decently sized, but to some players this may still be too small. Providing a method to scale it will further increase legibility.

Forza Motorsport

Upon launch, licensing agreements and a variety of warnings, including epilepsy warnings, are briefly displayed. Studio splash screens appear with high default volume, which may be jarring for players with auditory sensitivities. As no volume settings are available before this stage, players must endure this loud audio until they can access sound controls later in the menu.

The first interactive screen, Graphics Setup, offers Performance and Visual presets and is narrated. The differences between Performance and Visuals mode are not described in detail, which may limit the understanding of the choices.

The Initial Setup screen presents a concise list of accessibility options, including Narrator, Optimized Narration, Blind Driving Assist, Low Vision Mode, Subtitles, Text-Based Communications, and Heavy Driving Assists. Players can also either fine-tune individual settings with the full settings list or proceed with the recommended presets.

When accessing the full settings list, players are taken directly to the Accessibility section, however it was disorienting to open at the middle of the settings list. Once settings are finalized, the opening cinematic begins. A key standout feature is the inclusion of Audio Descriptions, providing blind and low-vision players with a narrated understanding of on-screen imagery. On top of that, the audio descriptions are also subtitled, providing extra support in cognitive processing.

Areas for Improvement:

• Start at the Top: When opening all Settings from the Initial Setup, focus started at the middle of the Accessibility Settings tab. Starting at the top of the menu, at the first selectable option, improves menu navigation and orientation.

Madden NFL 25

Upon launching Madden NFL 25, an epilepsy warning is displayed during the loading screen. Following the epilepsy warning, publisher and NFL splash screens play. No accessibility settings are available until after this stage, meaning players requiring assistive features must first navigate these sequences without accommodations.

Upon reaching the title screen, players are instructed to press any button to proceed, without narration. The first encountered screen is the Accessibility Menu; a highlight is that its presented by a narrator with a natural voice. However, this accessibility-first approach is undermined by an immediate pop-up requiring players to sign in to an EA account before they can proceed. This disrupts usability for blind and motor-impaired players, if players cannot complete the sign-in process independently, they will need external assistance before returning to the Accessibility Menu.

After sign in is completed, the Accessibility Menu is designed with usability in mind, featuring Menu Narration as the top option. The narrator announces that Menu Narration is off, ensuring that blind and low-vision players are immediately aware of its location. However, toggling this option is not completed with the standard control A Button, instead it is adjusted with D-Pad. For players relying on narrator, they are not informed of the menu controls. Additionally, players accustom to standard controls may accidentally bypass this menu without a method to return to it.

Areas for Improvement:

• Narrated Title Screen and Sign In: The initial title screen prompt to press any button would benefit from narration. Signing in to an external account should be presented after the Accessibility Settings menu, and support screen narration if the feature is enabled by the player.
• Standard Controls: On the Accessibility menu, Continue to the next page is mapped to A button. Players are likely to think A button is used to switch toggles and can accidentally bypass the Accessibility menu. Continue would benefit from being its own button selection and/or mapped to an alternate button such as X.

Watch Dogs: Legion

Watch Dogs: Legion opens with an Initializing screen that includes an epilepsy warning. Once loading is complete, the player is prompted to press button A with narration included. The prompt to select the Xbox profile is no longer narrated, but is bypassed with selecting a profile.

After selecting an Xbox profile, a narrated message informs the player that a Ubisoft Connect account is required. However, while the prompt itself is narrated, the account creation process is not, creating a major accessibility barrier for blind players. Additionally, this login screen does not automatically respect system-level screen readers (Let Games Read to Me), requiring external assistance for players who cannot complete the sign-up independently. No offline mode is available to bypass this step.

Once an account is connected, players are taken to a concise Adjust Settings Menu, which prioritizes accessibility by placing Menu Narration at the top. The narrator informs players that narration is off, ensuring those who rely on it can enable it immediately. The menu also contains settings for spoken and written language, colorblindness, captioning.

Following accessibility and language settings, players configure narrated image calibration, single-player difficulty, and permadeath options. Difficulty options are presented with brief descriptions but lack detailed guidance on what the difficulty setting will impact. A highlight is that the player is informed of the permeance of their choices with a confirmation message.

Areas for Improvement:

• Screen Narrated Sign In: Essential account creation should support screen narration. The menu would benefit from being placed after the initial Adjust Settings menu and support narration if the player enabled it.

Far Cry 6

Far Cry 6 opens with an epileptic seizure warning, an autosave message, and a publisher splash screen. These messages are non-interactive and there is no narration at this stage. Following the initial messages, a cinematic featuring actor credits plays before reaching the title screen. This sequence only has music, no speaking lines. If audio descriptions were included for blind players, they would have insight on the visual storytelling elements in the cinematic. The actor credits would benefit from being placed after beginning a New Game to reflect the applied settings.

When starting, players are taken to the Accessibility Menu, which presents key accessibility settings and categorized presets for Vision, Cognitive, Motor, Motion, and Hearing. A highlight is that Menu Narration is surfaced prominently along with a dedicated control to enable it. Selecting a preset applies multiple accessibility settings at once, reducing the need for manual configuration, however the information on which settings are applied is not provided. After configuring accessibility, players adjust Screen Calibration, Brightness, Audio & Interface, and Motion & Controls.

After setup is complete, the player is taken to the Main Menu containing the full options menu. When selecting New Game, players choose from three difficulty levels. A highlight is that difficulty settings inform the player which can be later modified and which cannot.

Areas for Improvement

• Option to Skip Setup: Since initial setup exits to the title’s main menu where all options can be configured, players would benefit from an option to exit setup and navigate the full options menu at their own pace.
• Preset Information: In the Accessibility Menu, each accessibility preset is presented with the type of disability supported. The preset’s details should provide more information about which settings the set enables for informed decision making.
• Audio Description: The music-backed Actor Credits would benefit from Audio Descriptions, so that blind and low vision players are aware of the visual elements. Playing the credits after beginning a new game would allow for setting configurations to be applied.
• On Screen Text: In the opening cinematic when beginning a new game, a character quote appears on screen. This message would benefit from either a natural voice reading the message out loud for all players, or screen narration reading the message if the player has the setting enabled.

Gears 5

Gears 5 opens with non-interactive splash screens. With Let Games Read to Me enabled, the title screen narrates to press A button or Enter Key to play. An Xbox profile must be selected, and the prompt is not narrated to the player. After, players are taken to the brightness calibration menu. However, this screen is interrupted by an Escape Mode prompt. While players can close the prompt and return to brightness settings, the interruption disrupts onboarding flow, potentially causing confusion with the shift in context. Ideally, Escape Mode prompts should appear after core accessibility settings have been configured to maintain a streamlined experience.

After brightness adjustments, players are presented with a concise list of key settings: Control Scheme, Gore, Mature Content, Subtitles, Font Size, Color Blind Mode, and a highlight is the inclusion of Adaptive Controller remapping.

Players are welcomed to Boot Camp, which introduces game mechanics. Despite not being presented as optional, the player can immediately pause and either quit the tutorial to main menu or fine-tune settings in the full options menu, allowing for deeper customization.

Areas for Improvement

• Pop-up Order: The Escape Mode pop-up presented during the Brightness menu should appear after Boot Camp Tutorial, so that the Brightness menu context is not suddenly changed.
• In-Title Narration Setting: Screen Narration is enabled through the Xbox profile setting Let Games Read to Me, however screen narration is not provided as a setting in Gears 5’s settings menu. Players may be unaware of the setting’s availability or want a title controlled method of disabling it.

Alternative Approaches to a Full First Time User Experience (FTUE)

Not every developer wants to launch straight into an accessibility setup menu. Here are alternative approaches that still ensure inclusivity:

Essential Accessibility Features by Default

If you want players to dive into gameplay immediately, consider having the most critical settings ON by default:

• Captions are enabled, presented in large, high-contrast font with speaker labels
• Menu text at 200% scale for readability
• Screen narration ON if system settings detect it
• Motion reduction enabled (e.g., reduced camera shake, limited motion blur)
• Button holds are enabled as toggle-based inputs
• High-contrast UI by default

Cons: Some players might find default settings intrusive, such as being distracted by captions or disliking motion reduction. Introducing accessibility settings before gameplay promotes a player-tailored experience.

Best for:

• Fast-paced games that drop players into action immediately.
• Games with limited settings, where strong UI contrast and readable text eliminate the need for separate accessibility modes.

Auto-Detect Accessibility Preferences from the Platform

Many consoles and PC operating systems allow users to set accessibility preferences system-wide. If possible, automatically apply:

• Screen reader settings
• High contrast mode
• Mono audio output

Cons: Some players rely on third-party software instead of system settings. If no system-wide settings are detected, provide a brief in-game accessibility prompt instead of assuming no accommodations are needed.

Best for:

• Games that want seamless integration with platform-level settings.
• Titles looking to minimize onboarding friction while ensuring accessibility needs are met.

Final Thoughts

Designing an accessible onboarding experience is both an art and a science. It requires empathy to anticipate the diverse ways players might experience your game in those first moments, and it requires technical and design effort to implement solutions that work. However, as we’ve seen, the effort is absolutely worth it.

An accessibility-first approach at launch ensures that players are not met with frustration or exclusion at the very doorway to your game. Instead, they get a warm welcome that says, “We’ve thought about you, and we want you here.” That sentiment pays off. It leads to positive word-of-mouth, as more players can enjoy and recommend the game.

At a deeper level, adopting accessibility-first design from the start fosters better design practices overall. It forces clarity, simplicity, and flexibility – which often make the game better for non-disabled players too. The overlap between good UX and good accessibility is significant​. When we see major publishers pushing these features, it’s a clear signal that this is the new normal.

For developers reading this case study, the hope is that you come away with a concrete understanding of how to make initial gameplay accessible and why it matters. Whether you’re working on a big-budget shooter or a small indie puzzle game, the principles remain applicable. Consider all the facets: visual, audio, motor, cognitive, social. Use the checklist, refer to the guidelines, and build testing with disabled players into your development cycles.

By building accessibility in from the start, you’re not only doing right by the players, you’re also joining a movement that is elevating the entire medium of video games. An accessible game at launch sets a precedent and inspires others. Every player will be able to grab a new game, fire it up, and play – without unnecessary hurdles in their way.

That is the vision behind being “Ready from the Start.” Let’s continue to learn, share, and strive so that all games can achieve it!