It's common wisdom that devs should design games for maximum accessibility from the beginning -- but what happens if you don't?

Turtle Rock Studios learned the hard way with its 2015 asymmetrical multiplayer shooter Evolve, and at GDC 2017 Gaikai's Tara Voelker broke what the studio learned when it took steps to make the game more accessible post-launch.

It was an important talk because it showcased how, with a bit of forethought, you can easily make your game accessible and enjoyable to a lot of people who otherwise wouldn't be able to play (and thus wouldn't buy) your game.

Voelker ran down not only how to avoid the challenges Turtle Rock encountered, but how the changes made to accommodate players with disabilities also made the game better and more enjoyable for all players. 

The talk was frank and informative; if you missed it in person, don't miss your chance to now watch the whole thing for free on the official GDC YouTube channel!

About the GDC Vault

In addition to this presentation, the GDC Vault and its new YouTube channel offers numerous other free videos, audio recordings, and slides from many of the recent Game Developers Conference events, and the service offers even more members-only content for GDC Vault subscribers.

Those who purchased All Access passes to recent events like GDC, GDC Europe, and GDC Next already have full access to GDC Vault, and interested parties can apply for the individual subscription via a GDC Vault subscription page. Group subscriptions are also available: game-related schools and development studios who sign up for GDC Vault Studio Subscriptions can receive access for their entire office or company by contacting staff via the GDC Vault group subscription page. Finally, current subscribers with access issues can contact GDC Vault technical support.

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