Broken immersion in media accessibility: How barriers disrupt the connection between players with dyslexia and video games

Video games have become one of the most relevant audiovisual products in the entertainment industry. However, they are still not fully accessible to an important part of the population: people with disabilities, who often encounter barriers when attempting to play. Among the different barriers, people with cognitive disabilities or learning difficulties may struggle to determine the appropriate responses required to progress in the game. The objective of this paper is to map the current state of cognitive accessibility in video games and provide a set of recommendations for developing cognitively accessible video games. To this end, we conducted a literature review in which we examined both academic articles and non-academic guidelines related to cognitive accessibility. After defining game accessibility and cognitive accessibility, the methodology for the systematic search and the analysis are explained in detail. Out of the two hundred twenty five documents that were originally retrieved, eighteen met the inclusion criteria, such as language or date of publication. These documents were analysed to extract their recommendations for cognitive accessibility, the type of video games they mention, and the cognitive disabilities or learning difficulties they address. The findings are then presented and discussed, resulting in a list of fourteen key recommendations for developing video games with cognitive accessibility features. Finally, the main contributions of the paper are highlighted and future research avenues are suggested.

Educational games aim to teach players new knowledge or skills in an entertaining manner. However, they are often not accessible for players with disabilities, hindering their right to education. For players with cognitive disabilities and learning difficulties, it may be particularly challenging to determine the response to the game’s visual, auditory, and haptic stimuli. This chapter presents a set of recommendations to develop educational games that are accessible to these players. To that aim, a literature review was conducted comprising the past ten years of research about educational games and game accessibility. Ten papers were selected, which take diverse approaches to the topic: some review existing research, while others focus on the development of an accessible educational game. All of them address cognitive disabilities and learning difficulties, but some also include recommendations for visual, hearing, and motor accessibility. The review of these papers shows that, to develop an accessible game for players with cognitive disabilities and learning difficulties, it is recommended to provide stimuli through several channels of communication, to allow the game’s pace to be customizable, and to design simple but engaging content, among other features. Although these recommendations are not universally applicable to every educational game, they are a first step to bring together players, teachers, developers, and researchers to create more interactive and engaging educational experiences for all.

Previous studies have revealed that when video gamers, or users of three-dimensional (3D) virtual worlds, display intense concentration coupled with an emotional engagement in their undertaking, they are affected by multisensory stimuli. This can lead to developing a feeling of detachment from the physical world, which, in turn, can lead to high levels of participation and engagement. Notwithstanding these results, it remains unclear as to whether students can experience the same kind of immersion in two-dimensional (2D) platform-based online collaborative learning spaces as has been achieved in video games and 3D worlds and, if they actually can, which features would lead to similar levels of increased engagement. This study is one of the first attempts to investigate the immersion experiences of students engaged in two 2D online collaborative learning platforms, one text-based and the other video-based. Data from eight students revealed that key features of immersion observed in video games and 3D worlds also appeared during the online collaborative activities but that the way such immersion was perceived by the students was greatly affected by the characteristics of the individual platform. When emotional engagement was considered, empathy was found to play an important role in the participants’ immersion experiences.
 Implications for practice or policy:
 
 Text-based platforms could be effective in motivating students to focus more on the postings, while video-based platforms may be more effective in generating empathy with others through observation of body language.
 When selecting a communication platform for online collaboration, sensory stimuli of the platform should be carefully examined.
 Empathy could be developed prior to an online collaborative activity so that students reflect on their thoughts and consider others’ feelings for a more immersive learning experience.

This study explores the barriers, including psychological and emotional challenges, faced by college students with disabilities while engaging in video gaming. It also investigates the benefits of gaming, utilising Self-Determination Theory (SDT) to understand motivations and experiences. Furthermore, it provides insights into future development and accessibility measures to promote inclusive gaming environments. Guided by SDT, we designed the semi-structured interview guide and conducted a hybrid deductive-inductive reflexive thematic analysis that interpreted themes in terms of autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Three primary themes emerged: (a) Benefits, including social connection, stress relief, and skill development; (b) Barriers, such as physical, cognitive, and financial challenges, and limited accessibility in game design; and (c) Accessibility, emphasising customisable controls, adaptive features, and inclusive designs. Participants highlighted the positive role of gaming in fostering psychosocial well-being and managing symptoms of their disabilities. This study provides insights into the intersection of gaming and disability, advocating for inclusive game design to enhance autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Findings demonstrate the potential of accessible gaming to promote empowerment, social inclusion, and mental health. Aligned with the goals of rehabilitation and assistive technology, this research offers actionable recommendations for reducing barriers and fostering innovation in game development to support individuals with disabilities.

Video games are a growing force in the entertainment industry, but their expansion must include accessibility measures. People with cognitive disabilities or learning difficulties may struggle to process game stimuli. One potential solution is easy-to-understand language, which simplifies wording, structure, and formatting to improve comprehension. This study explores its application in video games. A preliminary search revealed little research on the topic, leading to the present narrative review. Twelve academic and non-academic sources mention clear language but provide no concrete implementation guide. This review examines existing guidelines for easy-to-understand language in websites and printed materials to assess their potential for video game accessibility. This feature could be optional, allowing players to enable or disable it as needed. However, reception studies are necessary to evaluate its effectiveness. If proven beneficial, this accessibility option would mark a significant step toward making video games more inclusive.

Towards an Ordinary Transmedia Use: A French Speaker’s Transmedia Use of Worlds in <em>Game of Thrones</em> MMORPG and Series

Three Degrees of “G”s: How an Airbag Deployment Sensor Transformed Video Games, Exercise, and Dance

Video game playing is a popular activity and its enjoyment among frequent players has been associated with absorption and immersion experiences. This paper examines how immersion in the video game environment can influence the player during the game and afterwards (including fantasies, thoughts, and actions). This is what is described as Game Transfer Phenomena (GTP). GTP occurs when video game elements are associated with real life elements triggering subsequent thoughts, sensations and/or player actions. To investigate this further, a total of 42 frequent video game players aged between 15 and 21 years old were interviewed. Thematic analysis showed that many players experienced GTP, where players appeared to integrate elements of video game playing into their real lives. These GTP were then classified as either intentional or automatic experiences. Results also showed that players used video games for interacting with others as a form of amusement, modeling or mimicking video game content, and daydreaming about video games. Furthermore, the findings demonstrate how video games triggered intrusive thoughts, sensations, impulses, reflexes, optical illusions, and dissociations.

Video game playing is a popular activity and its enjoyment among frequent players has been associated with absorption and immersion experiences. This paper examines how immersion in the video game environment can influence the player during the game and afterwards (including fantasies, thoughts, and actions). This is what is described as Game Transfer Phenomena (GTP). GTP occurs when video game elements are associated with real life elements triggering subsequent thoughts, sensations and/or player actions. To investigate this further, a total of 42 frequent video game players aged between 15 and 21 years old were interviewed. Thematic analysis showed that many players experienced GTP, where players appeared to integrate elements of video game playing into their real lives. These GTP were then classified as either intentional or automatic experiences. Results also showed that players used video games for interacting with others as a form of amusement, modeling or mimicking video game content, and daydreaming about video games. Furthermore, the findings demonstrate how video games triggered intrusive thoughts, sensations, impulses, reflexes, optical illusions, and dissociations.

Cognitive game accessibility concerns removing unnecessary barriers for people with cognitive disabilities to participate in game play. Cognitive accessibility may involve the content of the game that requires work by game designers with limited time but also perhaps limited awareness of the issues and opportunities. The focus here is on people in the game community without cognitive disabilities to contribute with content for cognitive accessibility. The problem is that there is no support system for game community-based contributions of simplified texts and other modalities in games. This paper presents three iterations of a support system, within a design science framework with prototypes, interviews and observations, to answer: Which requirements need to be met for a game community-based system for making quest descriptions more accessible for people with cognitive disabilities affecting language? How can a system for contributions of simplified text be designed from the perspectives of experienced gamers? The conclusions were: (1) a set of requirements and a digital prototype available online; (2) experienced gamers understood how the interface of the prototype worked; and (3) further support functionality would benefit the users of the system. Future work is to evaluate community contributions by involving people with mild cognitive disabilities in game play studies.

As a new form of artistic expression with infinite possibilities, interactive film games first trace the history of the creation and development of interactive film games at home and abroad; and then show the characteristics of the interactive film form with examples. This paper focuses on the interactive experience and the development process of interactive cinema, and the relationship between film interaction design and the users immersive experience. Interaction design accurately plans and describes the behavior of things, and effectively describes and communicates this behavior, which is an integral part of the users immersive gaming experience, while the behavior fed back to the user by interaction design directly affects the user's gaming experience.

This case study explores non-Indigenous youths’ experiences of cultural immersion in Indigenous communities in Canada. This research acknowledges and situates itself in the socio-political context of Aboriginal-Settler relations, drawing upon historical and recent impediments to these relations, with an emphasis on continued colonial injustices to Indigenous communities. As such, a critical post-colonial emancipatory paradigm is adopted in understanding the theoretical framework of the contact hypothesis. In this study, two groups of youth composed of undergraduate university students participated in a series of focus groups and interviews, while keeping journals about their experiences in an Indigenous community-immersion program. Participants’ experiences of immersion benefitted their relationship to Indigenous community through the personal connections they formed with the community and the heightened awareness they developed related to diversity among Indigenous communities and the challenges facing their hosts. Findings suggest potential areas of social intervention that could ameliorate relations and foster intercultural understanding, while also highlighting critical considerations for intercontact theory. Furthermore, it is proposed that the contact hypothesis can, ironically enough, be used to decolonize Canadian youth.

Purpose The intersection of digital innovation and cultural heritage preservation presents a unique and emerging field of study, particularly in the context of “phygital” startups —enterprises that blend physical and digital experiences. Fusing digital innovation with Italy’s rich cultural heritage enhances preservation, accessibility and interactive visitor experiences. This paper aims to explore the transformative role of phygital startups in valorizing Italian cultural heritage utilizing a multidimensional analytical approach. The “phygital”, a portmanteau of “physical” and “digital,” refers to integrating digital technologies into physical spaces and experiences, creating a seamless interface between the two realms. This approach is particularly relevant in the cultural heritage domain, where digital technology is increasingly redefining the preservation and presentation of historical and cultural artifacts. In this context, phygital startups play a unique role in facilitating innovative experiences that enhance visitor engagement and understanding. By integrating cutting-edge technologies such as augmented reality (AR) virtual reality and interactive digital platforms, these startups create immersive and interactive experiences that bring cultural artifacts and historical narratives to life in unprecedented ways. This approach not only aids in preserving heritage but also democratizes access to it, reaching broader audiences who might not be able to experience these cultural assets in person. Design/methodology/approach This paper will examine case studies of Italian phygital startups in the cultural heritage sector, analyzing how their innovations have contributed to the enhanced preservation, interpretation and dissemination of cultural heritage. These case studies will provide insights into the practical applications of phygital concepts in cultural heritage, highlighting the opportunities and challenges these enterprises face. Findings Furthermore, this study discusses the implications of physical startups for cultural heritage management, including the potential for increased visitor engagement, improved accessibility and new revenue streams for heritage institutions. It will also address ethical considerations and the need for a balanced approach that respects the integrity and authenticity of cultural artifacts while employing modern technological enhancements. Research limitations/implications In analyzing the limitations of this research on Italian phygital startups in the cultural heritage sector, one should consider the potential narrowness of case studies, which may not represent the diversity of the sector. The rapid pace of technological change could also outdated findings quickly, while the focus on innovative applications might overlook traditional methods that remain relevant. Furthermore, the complexity of ethical considerations regarding the digital representation of cultural artefacts raises questions that this paper might not fully address, such as the potential for cultural misrepresentation or digital divides that may limit access for certain populations. Lastly, the research might not account for the long-term sustainability and economic viability of phygital approaches within cultural institutions. Practical implications The emergence of “phygital” startups marks a transformative era in cultural heritage management, merging digital technology with physical experiences. These enterprises employ AR and blockchain to engage audiences and create new economic models. Companies like WAY EXPERIENCE and ARTour lead in offering immersive experiences that blend history with technology. Managers in this sector are advised to form strategic alliances with tech and cultural experts to preserve the integrity and educational aspects of these experiences. The introduction of blockchain and digital assets like non-fungible tokens, typified by AESTHETES, represents a novel method of art ownership, necessitating careful management of digital and physical artworks and consideration of ethical issues in cultural preservation. Social implications The rise of “phygital” startups in cultural heritage brings social implications, such as democratizing access to art and history through AR, potentially reaching wider audiences. The intersection of technology and culture via immersive experiences fosters new forms of learning and appreciation. However, the digital divide could exacerbate inequalities if access to such technologies is uneven. Additionally, the use of blockchain for art ownership raises questions about the nature of art and its value in society. As physical artworks transform into digital assets, the very essence of ownership and cultural value is being redefined, challenging traditional views on art and cultural heritage. Originality/value In conclusion, this paper argues that phygital startups have a significant and growing influence on the cultural heritage sector. Their innovative approaches bring new life to historical artifacts and challenge traditional methods of cultural heritage management. The findings of this study will contribute to the broader understanding of the role of digital innovation in cultural heritage preservation and provide a foundation for future research in this evolving field.

The following study is concerned with how immersive experiences are constructed in first-person shooter (FPS) video games through the implementation of “realistic” audio. Bringing together the three fields of video game studies, sound studies, and science and technology studies in its theoretical framework, this study approaches FPS games as commodities, marketed for their capabilities towards providing the player with an immersive and realistic experience, and constructed in particular ways, for particular ends. The first part of this study explores the context of FPS game audio development, from the earliest days of video games in the mid-twentieth century, to the current day. It is argued that the history of FPS games is tightly coupled with the innovation of particular audio reproduction technologies, with the greater history of representation across forms of media, and on a trajectory towards increased immersive realism. The aesthetics of realism as presented in war cinema are taken as a fundamental influence for how immersive and realistic auditory experiences are constructed for contemporary FPS players. The second part of this study takes four FPS games and formally describes them in terms of how the player is positioned as a subject via the game and platform’s audio affordances and disaffordances. Finally, both sections are brought to bear on one another in a diachronic account of how subjects have been (re)positioned via game audio throughout the history of the FPS. Merging these threads, ultimately this study argues that the player-subject of FPS games has been aurally (re)positioned on a trajectory shared with the refinement of audio reproduction technologies towards greater immersive realism. Technological development and the aesthetics of realism, as well as the evolution of FPS games into competitive multiplayer formats, have been mutually influential in this, one necessitating the other in a constant cycle of refinement and occasional decline.

Technology has always been playing a significant role in interpretation and presentation of cultural heritage, both the objects exhibited in museums and heritage present in situ. Enhancement in the field of extended reality can be seen as the gamechanger for the heritage presentation, with the immersiveness and gamification having the potential of turning nonvisitors into visitors. Cultural institutions, city governments, tourist offices and heritage sites are turning towards the concepts of immersive and gamified heritage, trying to reach new segments of visitors and tourists. The paper brings an extensive contemporary literature review on the immersive technologies in museums and heritage sites, and audience development trends in museums in general. The paper deals with the research problem of immersive technologies as audience development strategies of Croatian museums. The research questions are the following: Is the general population interested in current museums' offerings? Will the interest for the museums' offerings rise if they would offer an immersive and gamified experience? The research has been conducted on the general population as cultural audiences, exploring their attitudes towards museums, video games, immersive realities, and use of gamification and immersiveness in museum offerings.