How to play video games if you are blind?
“I am committed to promoting inclusive video games.“
Speaking of inclusivity, few can imagine a blind person playing a video game with their back to the big screen. However, after listening to the testimony of Sergio Vera, a blind man from Cuenca who is passionate about video games, a new facet of the game is revealed. digital entertainment: switch on blind people in such experiences. “I intend to do my part to ensure visibility inclusive video gamesso that they understand that we also play,” Sergio says in the program “Made of Silk and Iron”.
Sergio lost his sight due to medical negligence when he began his medical education. While he says it was a devastating blow, it also marked the beginning of a new mission: making video games accessible to people with disabilities. visual impairment. This is how his project was born Videoblindan initiative that not only strives to make video games an entertainment space for everyone, but also provides recommendations and analyzes video games with the goal of making them more accessible to blind people.
The path to inclusion in the world of digital entertainment is full of obstacles. Despite technological advances, the video game industry remains difficult territory for people with visual impairments. However, Sergio is determined to change this reality. His wife Martha Contreras describes him admiringly: “Sergio is a person who, when he is really interested in something, fights to achieve it. Even if you know it’s difficult to achieve, at least you try.”
Feel the video games
Sergio’s persistence shows in his daily life. Martha talks about how cool it is to see him play: “When he starts playing video games, there are times when I stop to watch and think about how cool it is that someone can do this. He can do this without looking at the screen, without looking at this doll, without getting his bearings.” And in most video games, gameplay is almost exclusively visual. Graphics, colors and details that are significant for many players are invisible to Sergio. However, his approach is different: he doesn’t need to see video games, he feels them.
Educational tool
“I raise awareness among students about disabilities.“
In addition to his passion for digital leisure, Sergio works as a counselor at a high school in Cuenca. He has also managed to incorporate video games into his professional field. Using the tool, “I teach students about disability and work on moral dilemmas, decision making and discussions,” he says.
For a blind man looking away architectural barriers city can be a daily problem. Without losing his sense of humor, Sergio compares his commute to playing a video game: “If you go to the old town of Cuenca, you have to have an infinite number of lives to avoid falling off a cliff, especially if you are blind. When I go to school, I find poorly parked cars, narrow sidewalks, broken traffic lights… and no accessibility efforts to take me to the next level,” he jokes.