Accessibility does not mean approachability when it comes to video games. I'm asking all journalists, reporters, developers, content creators, advocates, and consultants; please don't screw up as I did and confuse accessibility when you mean approachability.

Thanks for sharing and giving the context. It can be tough as a dev who wants to do the right thing and also be concise in marketing materials, press, store pages etc when juggling 1000 things to always use the right language.

@ActiveB1t How long until the first Games Approachability Conference @ianhamilton_ @LadieAuPair? 😅

If it helps, other creators from the community ran into the same issue and had to edit their content too. Don't feel bad, although I understand the frustration after the time and work you put into it. It's not your fault, it was misleading info on the source.

@ianhamilton_ I’ve seen this terminology mistake well outside of gaming as well… I hear people say a product is “accessible” because it is for example free and theoretically easy to understand and use, but is in fact not accessible for disabled users.

@HereLiesStacey This conversation needs to be had more and We need more resources and conversations defining what the difference is. Considering how close in definition they are language wise, it can be hard to know the difference.

Can relate to the terminology thing! Growing up I used "accessibility" to mean "how easy is it to get the thing", like the availability of a game, for example. I try not to use the word that way anymore, but I still tip up on it.

@ActiveB1t Hey Steve - could you expand on Approachability please? I couldn't see the prior video you've referenced here, but in this one your definition felt a little circular Is this a convo around Branding/Gatekeeping? I work in a Games studio as a QA, strong Accessibility advocate. Thnx

@ActiveB1t No convo really. The developers said the game was "accessible" when they meant approachable and I didn't find out until after I made the video. Approachability is if a game is approachable to a new player that's the proper definition. Accessibility is for disabled players.

With dead island 2 (whatever the newer one is) it had no options to not button smash and also no difficulty settings, does that make the button smashing not accessible (I cannot play the game bc of it) and the lack of difficulty customization means it isn’t approachable?

Yes and no lol. So both could still be considered accessibility but one is relative to physical barriers and one is a subjective barrier. Button smashing can be a physical barrier for those who can't hit a button quickly. Difficulty is more subjective regardless of disability...