Some gamers are concerned that Bethesda’s silence may mean that Starfield lacks the features they need to enjoy the game.

With less than three months to go until Bethesda’s big Starfield release, fans of the title are worried about the lack of information about the game’s accessibility features. Gamers with disabilities are enjoying more games than ever before due to the boom in accessibility features in modern games, and many gamers hope Starfield will continue this trend.

Last month, Bethesda released a nearly hour-long Starfield Direct that showcased many of the game’s features. Fans were able to witness how combat works, how to customize spaceships, travel from planet to planet, and even see how to take sandwiches from enemy ships and store them in their own. However, despite all the footage shown of the title, there was no mention of how the game’s accessibility features would work, either in the Direct or in further announcements. Nor is it clear whether there are any accessibility options at all.

According to IGN, Bethesda’s silence about Starfield’s accessibility features has left some disabled gamers worried about whether they’ll actually be able to play the game. Gamers with disabilities such as Kolo Jones, who suffers from ADHD and spondyloarthritis, which causes inflammation in his spine, making it difficult for him to grip the controllers. Because of these conditions, Jones will need explicit “mission markers” to travel to and from Starfield’s many planets, as well as additional controller support for twin-stick movement and button presses. Jones is excited about the game, but having to use both thumbsticks while pressing several buttons in a conventional way may prevent him from playing.

Unfortunately, Bethesda games have long lacked accessibility features, and a disabled gamer named Matthew Allcock has experienced this first-hand. Before he was infected with nystagmus – a disability that involves rapid, repetitive eye movements – he enjoyed playing Bethesda titles such as Fallout and Skyrim. As his disability progressed, it became impossible for him to continue playing, as he found it very difficult to locate enemies, find objects and navigate the map. Allcock hopes that Starfield will break with tradition and add features that allow him to enjoy the game.

Over the past few years, many fantastic video games have been released with excellent accessibility features, and game companies have done a great job of catering to those who need a little extra help. Adding these features isn’t always easy, but hopefully Starfield can be added to the list of great titles for disabled gamers later this year.

Starfield will be released on September 6 for PC and Xbox Series X/S.

Source: GameRant