Breaking deaf stereotypes and normalizing sign language through gaming

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  Deafverse replicates many everyday situations, such as buying a new laptop or trying to comprehend the price of the latest iMac. [credit: National Deaf Center ]

The last decade has seen many advancements in video game accessibility. From hardware like the Xbox Adaptive Controller, to legislation that requires all communication options in online multiplayer to be as accessible as possible, to freely available in-depth development guidelines for interested developers, games have never been more inclusive to disabled players. As the 2010s come to a close, a game called Deafverse is trying to reach another milestone by becoming the first fully American Sign Language (ASL)-accessible game.

Developed through the National Deaf Center (NDC) in Austin, Texas, Deafverse is a browser-based ongoing-narrative adventure about navigating the world as a deaf teenager. Designed first and foremost (but not exclusively) for classroom use, the game seeks to educate and enlighten players about deaf culture through collaborative play and discussion. Players learn about the real-life challenges of deafness in a safe and sincere way designed by and for the deaf community.

Deriving inspiration from choose-your-own-adventure books and games, Deafverse merges aspects of point-and-click sci-fi and fantasy stories from the 1980s and '90s with contemporary standards for accessibility to make something that is as educational as it is engaging.

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