Deaf Apex Legends players call for simple feature to make game more accessible
Respawn EntertainmentApex Legends players are calling for a simple accessibility feature that would help deaf people navigate the battle royale with visual cues.
The idea would introduce a new toggle option for players which would show an active directional indicator on the screen to let players know where a sound is coming from.
A tracker like this would be able to pick up noises from opponents and grenades in the vicinity and even have a detection system for vertical environments.
Though there are concerns about the feature being used or abused by non-deaf players, it would go a long way to add a new type of detection for players who can’t rely on sound.
Apex Legends accessible options for deaf players
Hey @PlayApex @EA @Respawn I wish always that there would be accessibility we like apex but hard for no audio when does support for deaf people finally come? fortnite has been around for a long time and apex where? Please retweet for me and deaf people world thank you 🤟🏻😊 pic.twitter.com/r2GmJYo17u
— Tobiwuerfel11 (@Tobiwuerfel11) January 9, 2022
A mock-up by Twitter user ‘Tobiwuerfel11’ is inviting a ton of feedback for how a deaf accessibility option could look like in Apex.
The concept incorporates a three-step design for sound direction, sound level, and sound type. Different colors would give players a quick way to determine how close or far a sound is from them.
Depending on what is causing the sound, be it a player or grenade, the indicator would have a different icon that would clue in the user of what’s around them.
Games like Fortnite already have accessibility options like this that show where sounds are coming from. Some in the Apex community want to see Respawn Entertainment release their version of it.
Epic Games via CIPTMeanwhile, there’s hesitation from other players who think a feature like this would be used to get a competitive advantage over others.
“Even people with perfect hearing use this option in Fortnite because of the advantage it provides,” one person said. “It’s not good for the game”
Respawn would have to navigate how to correctly implement the feature but there are growing calls from people who want to see more options for deaf Apex Legends players in the game.