The Accessibility Challenge of Creating Gaming Content

The games industry has witnessed a surge in influencers and content creators, who have become essential for publishers and studios to reach vast audiences on platforms such as YouTube, TikTok, and Twitch. However, despite the benefits, top-earning creators often highlight the stresses, isolation, and constant struggle to stay relevant. For disabled creators, these challenges are magnified due to algorithms and inaccessible platforms. Mollie Evans, an EDI advocate and content creator, emphasizes that content creation should allow disabled influencers to work safely from home and at their own pace. However, the reality is less inclusive, with the constant push for content being difficult for many disabled people to keep up with. The frequency of posting is often dictated by algorithms, which can be contrary to the needs of disabled creators. Laura Kate Dale, an accessibility critic and consultant, notes that platforms like Twitch, YouTube, Twitter, and TikTok tend to categorize content, limiting its reach to specific audiences. This can lead to burnout, as disabled creators struggle to manage their content creation and real-life challenges. The required regularity for growth can be elusive, with schedules often derailed by unexpected events or health issues. What is seen on screen is often a fraction of the energy that goes into creating content, and for disabled creators, a single stream or video can represent a significant proportion of their energy and capability. Kolo Jones, a streamer, highlights the challenges of keeping to a schedule, with fatigue and energy limitations being major obstacles. The draining nature of being a disabled content creator can have a knock-on effect, limiting opportunities for partnerships and growth. Quadz, a horror streamer, has watched nondisabled peers secure lucrative opportunities, while she faces more limited access to such chances. Some creators are skeptical about whether brands consider disabled creators at all, with others noting that those who do may be hesitant to take action due to fear of making mistakes. The lack of accessibility on platforms, combined with the difficulties of content creation, can lead to a sense of isolation and exhaustion. Trending games are often inaccessible to disabled creators, and platforms lack the necessary tools to keep them safe. The accepted norms of streaming can make for a painful and unapproachable career. Many creators are concerned that the chasm between what able-bodied creators and their disabled peers can access is not entirely accidental. Leaked documents have alleged that TikTok limited the reach of disabled creators, and other platforms have been criticized for being increasingly unsafe and inaccessible. YouTube, TikTok, and Twitch did not respond to requests for comment on these concerns. The issue of accessibility is not limited to platforms but also extends to the broader gaming community. The disabled and accessibility community in gaming is a microcosm of wider society, with its own prejudices and barriers. Multiply marginalized creators, such as JazzAdeleGames, face additional challenges, including transphobia, racism, and ableism. The potential for community is one of the few things that makes content creation bearable for disabled creators. Being able to find others who share their interests is enormously beneficial for disabled people's wellbeing, and content creation can facilitate this. However, the significant benefits of content creation are often paywalled behind unforgiving economic, emotional, and physical costs. The ecosystem is designed in a way that conflicts with the needs of disabled creators. Multiple creators point to the same solution: disabled people must be included in decision-making industry-wide, from game development to platform creation and tool development. Accessibility is a long-term and evolving process that requires collaboration and consultation with marginalized groups. The games industry's inaccessibility is a damning indictment, but it could also become a vehicle for change with a shift in perspective and the inclusion of diverse people in key roles.