Marvel's Avengers: Devs Discuss Representing Disability

Crystal Dynamics, the developer behind Marvel’s Avengers, and publisher Square Enix have revealed a new wheelchair-using superpowered NPC, which is one of the studio’s many efforts to increase its representation of disability. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/05/27/marvels-avengers-our-mission-video"] In a blog dedicated to accessibility, staff from Crystal Dynamics explained how accessibility has increased in importance to the studio since efforts first began in 2013. Last year, the studio earned APXP (Accessible Player Experience Practitioner) certification, signalling that it has staff members that are able to understand the experiences of players who have different needs. This has influenced several elements in Marvel’s Avengers, including an NPC called Cerise. She is part of the Inhumans, a group of superpowered people who are one of the core teams in Marvel’s comic canon. Her idle animations have been motion captured by Cherry Thompson, an accessibility specialist who has also been providing feedback on the game. Cerise provides representation for disabled people, but the game’s design also helps cater to disabled players. “One of the examples I am most excited about is a high contrast user interface (UI),” said Meagan Marie, the senior community and social media manager for Marvel’s Avengers. “The high contrast UI feature makes it easier to navigate for low-vision users or people who find some interfaces distracting and difficult to use. The UI team really did a great job on that one.” [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=marvels-avengers-a-day-gameplay-trailer-screenshots&captions=true"] The game will also feature fully remappable controls, character-associated subtitles, campaign-relevant closed captions, and HARM Training Rooms, each of which is helpful for different types of players. Marvel’s Avengers is due to release this September, after being delayed from a May launch. You’ll be able to see more of the game during IGN’s Summer of Gaming event, where we’ll see the Avengers’ War Table feature and co-op gameplay. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Entertainment Writer. You can follow him on Twitter.