The database now includes over 1200 games with all the information parents need to make an informed decision. PEGI ratings, loot boxes, in-game purchases, online players, and other interactions.

Over the past 12 months, with the support of the Playability Initiative and other accessibility organizations, the database has added 7,500 video game accessibility data pointsso that players can also search for games on this basis. Additional support from VSC will allow for the expansion of this effort so that today 500 games in the database now have accessibility data.

Ian Rice, Managing Director of the VSC Rating Board said: “Our mission is to make sure parents have all the information they need to make informed decisions about the video games their families play.
Age ratings and the content information we post are an important part of that, but we also know that they are only part of the picture. The accessibility information provided in the family video game database will allow users to find games based not only on PEGI age suitability, but also according to their accessibility requirements.

VSC is proud to support this initiative as an accessibility partner, ensuring that video games continue to make a positive contribution to the lives of children and families across the UK. “

The database aims to help gamers discover games that suit their needs, as well as find alternatives to games that do not yet have the required design or accessibility settings.

Ian Hamilton, Co-Director of GAconfand coordinator of Game Accessibility GuidelinesHe said: “Information for making informed purchasing decisions continues to be a significant and ongoing barrier for people with disabilities. It has been wonderful to see the Family Video Game Database understanding of how this issue fits with their mission and their continued commitment to finding ways to break through this barrier. “

Andy Robertson, Co-Founder of Family Video Game Database, said:  “It has been a privilege to work with amazing people to deliver accessibility searches on the database.

The new Accessibility Review page is the next step in leveraging this data to help people find great games to play. We are a small team and we learn about this as we go along, but with 5,000 people visiting the site every day, the response to the accessibility tools in the database has been humbling and exciting. “

The accessibility search tooluse this data to find games that meet specific accessibility requirements. Players simply enter their custom search criteria to find the matching games. This can be combined with PEGI, system, genre, and other search criteria to offer a highly personalized game search:

• PEGI 12 switch kits with low pressure functions
• Xbox PEGI 7 games with large, clear subtitles
• PlayStation PEGI 3 games with audio signals for visual events

The Accessibility Review Toolprovides an analysis of the 1200 games in the database. Its objective is to detail the accessibility characteristics of Difficulty, Reading, Control, Navigation, Image, Audio and Communication. Not only does this make it easier to assess whether a game is a good fit before purchase, but when a game has limited accessibility in a particular area, the page offers similar games with stronger accessibility as an alternative purchase.

For example, the Kaze Directive and the Savage MasksThe review suggests some similar games with more options to aid reading. The Spyro Reignited trilogyThe review suggests some similar games with more difficulty options. The Valheim Review suggests some similar games with more navigational aids.