Microsoft Gaming Accessibility Testing

We believe that XBOX should be a place where everyone has fun. Inclusive and accessible games make it possible for more gamers to play. Learn about how to create more accessible games through guidelines and developer capabilities.

​

Service overview

Microsoft Game Accessibility Testing Service (MGATS) is an optional testing service for developers and publishers of XBOX and PC games. Both pre-release and post-release games can be tested securely and confidentially. Each test includes a list of concerns found and documentation / resources to assist in improving inclusivity. Testing is performed by accessibility subject matter experts and players with disabilities against the XBOX Accessibility Guidelines.

​

Introduction

Passion for game accessibility has grown exponentially among developers and players alike in the past decade. According to the ESA Foundation, there are nearly 46 million players with disabilities in the U.S. alone, so we’re heartened to see that game developers are actively seeking out resources that guide inclusive game design to ensure that their games are fun for everyone who wants to play. At Microsoft, accessibility is a core aspect of how products are built. The implementation of inclusive design principles is a foundational part of the overall development process across Team XBOX. In early 2019, members of the Microsoft Gaming Accessibility team set out on a mission to create the XBOX Accessibility Guidelines (XAGs); a comprehensive set of best practices to support the game industry in driving accessibility efforts forward. The XAGs are intended to be used by designers to generate ideas and as a guiding checklist for validating the accessibility of a game. Leveraging years of accessibility research in the gaming industry as well as close partnerships with industry experts and members of the Gaming & Disability community, the original XAGs were launched in January 2020. Post-launch, the team has been committed to ensuring that feedback from our Gaming & Disability community is both encouraged and heard loud and clear. There was an understanding from the beginning of this process that the only way to truly ensure that the needs of developers and members of the Gaming & Disability Community were met was to partner with these groups during the creation of the XAGs, as well as after they launched.
Developers have expressed enthusiasm for the XAGs, but also asked for additional context and clarification as to how to ensure these guidelines are properly implemented in their games. Additionally, there has been a clear desire for more content that helps a developer understand “where to start,” or “how to focus efforts.” Finally, there have been requests for help understanding the impact that XAGs will have on the gaming experience of players with disabilities.

​

XBOX Accessibility Guidelines (XAGs)

The XBOX Accessibility Guidelines (or “XAGs”) are a set of best practices that have been developed in partnership with industry experts and members of the Gaming & Disability community.
They are intended for designers to generate ideas, for developers as guardrails when developing their games, and for test teams as a checklist to validate the accessibility of their titles. The XAGs are not intended to act as a checklist to validate any type of compliance or legal requirements. Rather, they seek to ensure that the user experience in a game is enjoyable and playable for everyone. When everyone plays, we all win.

​

Overview of XAG components

Each XAG consists of the following sections:

​

Goal

States the overall desired impact that proper implementation of the guidelines in each XAG will have on players.

​

Overview

Introduces players with disabilities who often experience barriers related to gameplay elements addressed in each XAG.

​

Scoping questions

Scoping questions are intended to help developers get a better understanding of “where to start.” This section lists primary game elements and mechanics that are directly related to each XAG, and prompts developers to determine whether their title contains these elements.

​

Background and foundational information

This section is present in certain XAGs that address more complex topics. It provides “101” introductory information that can help those new to accessibility more easily understand XAG criteria and implementation.

​

Key areas to target

Provides a list of key game areas and elements directly related to each XAG. Developers should ensure that the elements identified in this section are not overlooked when implementing guidance.

​

Implementation guidelines

Provides a prescriptive set of guidance that helps ensure games provide the minimum number of accessible components to eliminate common barriers that most players with disabilities experience in games.

​

Example content

Example images and video captures are featured within the XAGs to display what proper implementation of a particular accessibility guideline can look like. Please note that many accessibility concepts are complex, and the industry is only at the beginning of its journey to create games that are fully accessible across every aspect of a game. It is best to focus on the aspect of the example that is being highlighted about the XAG guideline it is associated with.
Other elements shown in the example may not adhere to all other XAG guidelines (i.e., an example used to display proper narration order of menu items may subsequently have smaller text sizes than the guidance suggested by the XAGs. However, the point of focus for that example is the proper narration aspect, and aspects like text should not be considered. For guidance on text size specifically, please refer to examples found in the dedicated text size guidelines section).

​

Gaming personas

Provides a list of disability personas that are most likely to be impacted by the guidance in each XAG.

​

Resources and tools

Provides a list of external articles, videos, and other resources related to each XAG for readers interested in learning more about a particular aspect of game accessibility. A version history can be found in the changelog. To view guideline change history, see XBOX Accessibility Guidelines version history.

​

Costs and submission types

Submissions can be split into two separate categories:

• Standard (shallower coverage) – titles with a single player mode and no multiplayer communication features.
• Advanced (deeper coverage) – titles with multiple game modes and/or multiplayer communication features.

Every test pass also provides an opportunity to walk through a report with an industry-recognized Microsoft Gaming Accessibility Expert. For costs please refer to our Paid Services Program documentation and reach out to your Microsoft contacts.

​

Interested in feedback from Players with Disabilities only?

As of Oct 10, 2022, the MGATS program has created a second offering, MGATS – Players with Disabilities Focus. This new program focuses on gathering feedback from Players with Disabilities (PwDs) testers. It will cover core functional scenarios of a game such as golden path, settings, navigation, and in-game communication services. The areas of disabilities covered are Vision, Hearing, Speech, Mobility and Cognition. Depending on the nature of the game, the mix of PwD testers will vary. Their comprehensive findings will include:

• user impact
• reproduction steps
• suggested solutions
• annotated screenshots
• identification of the associated XBOX Accessibility Guideline (XAG)

The only difference from the original MGATS is that this new offering is centered around core functional scenarios performed solely by Players with Disabilities. The original MGATS is driven by XBOX Accessibility Guidelines performed by a mix of accessibility subject matter experts and Players with Disabilities.

​

Submission

Please inform your account management team that you would like to take advantage of the testing program, and provide them the following:

• Title name
• Submission date
• Build location (dev sandbox, RETAIL, CERT)
• Platforms
• Submission type
• Any test accounts or tokens, as appropriate. For titles being tested in development sandboxes, 10 Game Pass Core accounts and 2 Non-Game Pass Core accounts per platform are required.
• Any other supplementary material that you would like to submit such as walkthroughs, achievement guides etc. These are completely optional.

They will then be able to book the submission with the test team. You will also need to provide a Purchase Order to the sum of the requested submission type. You will not be billed for any test until after testing is completed, but a PO is required at the point of submission. Submissions are supported for XBOX platforms or Windows Store. Accessibility Testing on other platforms can be discussed on a case-by-case basis. Please reach out to your Microsoft contacts if you wish to discuss this further.

​

Reporting

The report will include:

• Accessibility Highlights.
• Concerns. This is not included in the MGATS - Players with Disabilities Focus offering.
• Players with Disabilities Feedback.
• Regularly Updated List of Additional Accessibility Resources.

​

Service Level Agreement (SLA)

Reports will be returned within 7 business days of receiving a title.

​

Testing sandbox

• The choice will be made by the partner and will be a case-by-case basis.
• The recommendation is not to use CERT unless the build is already there.
• For RETAIL – partner will provide the build as part of kick off process. This can be done in any of the below ways:
  • Using a Public Audience (GA) publish (hidden, via token or visible and available to all)
  • As a content update, available via device flighting
  • Using Private Audience
  • In partnership with the XBOX Insider Program