Taking Video Out of the Game: A Game Developer's Guide to Total Blind Accessibility

by Brandon Cole

Overview

This book aims to provide information and in‑routes to one of the most complex forms of video game accessibility. It promises to explain how a developer might make their game accessible to the totally blind. It will break down what that means and provide plenty of examples and ideas for how developers might achieve total blind accessibility, even in the largest, most complex games. As an experienced accessibility consultant who has worked on multiple AAA titles, the author brings a wealth of practical experience to the reader.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781032557397
Publisher:	CRC Press
Publication date:	09/23/2025
Pages:	128
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x (d)

About the Author

Brandon Cole was a totally blind, award‑winning accessibility consultant working primarily in the video game industry. His notable work includes such titles as The Last of Us Part 1 and The Last of Us Part 2, among others. He also used his social media, blog, and streaming platforms to advocate for accessibility whenever possible. Tragically, he passed away in June 2024 after a brief fight with Melanoma. You can still find his website, YouTube, and social media at brandoncole.net.

Table of Contents

Introduction, Part 1: The Story of Accessibility, Chapter 1: Defining Accessibility/Inaccessibility, Chapter 2: Accidental Accessibility: The Tenacity of the Blind Gamer, Chapter 3: Blind Accessibility Specifics: What It Means to Make Something Blind Accessible, Chapter 4: Accessible Beginnings: MUDs, Text Adventures, and So On, Chapter 5: Audio Games, Chapter 6: Blind Accessibility’s Mainstream Beginnings, Chapter 7: AAA Accessibility Reaches the Totally Blind, Chapter 8: The State of Blind Accessibility, Part 2: Guidelines for Blind Accessibility in Games, Chapter 9: Basic Principles of Blind Accessibility, Chapter 10: Every Game is Different, Chapter 11: Narration, Chapter 12: Navigation and Traversal, Chapter 13: Audio Cues, Chapter 14: The Power of Good Audio Design, Chapter 15: Audio Description and Scripted Events, Chapter 16: Combat and Kombat, Chapter 17: Puzzles, Chapter 18: Racing and Driving, Chapter 19: Open Worlds, Chapter 20: The Multiplayer Discussion, Chapter 21: Unexplored Territory, Conclusion