Microsoft partnership brings video game event to Special Olympics USA Games

Microsoft is bringing the first-ever video game event to the Special Olympics USA Games this July thanks to an ongoing partnership between the two organizations.

Eight teams will compete in Forza Motorsport 7 at the ‘Xbox Gaming Tournament at the 2018 Special Olympics USA Games’ on July 2 at the USA Games event, with each team having qualified for the tournament at Microsoft-hosted events last month.

This Special Olympics event comes as Microsoft is amid a big push for to make video games more accessible. The company launched the highly-customizable Xbox Adaptive Controller last week as part of that bid and has also opened a website to solicit input on accessibility and ease of access from the Xbox community. 

“At Microsoft, we believe that gaming is for everyone so we’re proud to pilot the first gaming tournament at the Special Olympics USA Games this summer,” said Xbox head Phil Spencer in a press release. “Competitive video gaming is enjoyed by players around the world, and our goal with this pilot tournament is to challenge biases and break down barriers while providing an empowering and fun experience for all players.”

Outside of the tournament, Xbox also plans to have a public video game space set up during the event where attendees can play Forza Motorsport 7, Minecraft, and Super Lucky’s Tale.