Steam will soon let you filter games by accessibility feature

Steam is introducing a new feature that will allow users to filter game results based on accessibility features. According to Valve, these filter options will be available later this year and will include tickboxes for features such as alternative color options, adjustable difficulty, menu narration, and subtitle options, among others.

When browsing the store, users can utilize the filter sidebar to “narrow by accessibility feature.” Some of the features that can be selected include “adjustable text size,” “camera comfort,” and “mouse only option.” These accessibility features will also be displayed on individual game store pages.

Valve states that Steam users will be able to view accessibility features for a specific game on the right-hand side of the store page, alongside other key information about the game. Developers will need to self-report the accessibility options their games offer by filling out a questionnaire in the Steamworks platform.

Developers are encouraged to describe their accessibility support through the questionnaire to make it easier for players with accessibility needs to find their games. Valve has provided a list of how different accessibility options will be defined, but some suggest using standardized tags from the Accessible Game Initiative for better clarity.

Valve has not specified when the additional filter options will be available in the Steam store, as developers need time to incorporate these features. While the definitions of accessibility tags are broad, Valve may rely on developers to provide more specific information about the accessibility features in their games.