Microsoft today announced a major update for Xbox users across the globe. The update comes shortly after the Global Accessibility Awareness Day and it brings a bunch of new accessibility features in the Xbox app and on Xbox’s web-based interface.
“With 427 million players with disabilities across the globe, and nearly 66 percent of gamers sharing they face some kind of barrier when it comes to gaming, Xbox is focused on making games accessible and fun for everyone with new accessibility updates,” Microsoft wrote in a blog post.
So, here are all the new accessibility features that will be available to Xbox users across the globe.
Accessibility features coming to Xbox
Improved user experience on Xbox.com
Microsoft says that with the latest update, it is making it easier for users to find new Xbox games. The update on the Microsoft Store on Xbox.com now will allow users to filter and search games based on their accessibility needs and preferences.
It will also enable them to search for games based on their supported language. Xbox.com currently supports over 17 supported languages.
In addition to this, the updated experience will allow users to apply different filters, including 20 accessibility filters like difficulty settings and subtitles, to find their next great game across Console, PC, and Cloud.
New Accessibility Settings on Xbox app on PC
Microsoft has also updated the Xbox app on PC with a new accessibility settings menu that brings two new settings to it. The first is the Disable Background Images option and the second is the Disable Animations options. Microsoft says that these new settings are designed to help players reduce visual components that could cause disruption, confusion, or irritation.
Updated Accessibility Support Pages for Xbox
Microsoft, late last year, unveiled a redesigned Xbox platform that had been tweaked to make it easier for users to navigate support hub for players to learn about all the accessibility features available on console and Windows devices. This time around, the company has updated the support pages for Xbox such that they now cover more than 150 accessibility controls across PC and console. The update support pages include new articles like: Adjusting the controller stick settings in the Xbox Accessories app, Xbox Support, and Accessibility Controls for Xbox for PC and Xbox Store apps among others.
Separately, last month Microsoft shared that it was working on new Accessibility Feature Tags for Xbox users. The feature now includes over six tags.