author: Wojciech Bilicki
Colorblind Players Criticize Accessibility Options in Tekken 8
Filters for gamers affected by color blindness have gained recognition among most players, but those affected by the condition have made no secret of their dissatisfaction. There are complaints of numerous problems caused by the filters.
Filter for players affected by color blindness in Tekken 8 was met with a a cold reception from people with visual impairments and accessibility specialists. On X (formerly Twitter), players with color blindness are complaining about the options and solutions presented in the game.
A video presenting monochrome filter with horizontal and vertical stripes has gone viral, approaching 10 million views on the platform. Many players praise Bandai Namco for taking on the topic and the interesting solution, but players affected by colorblindness do not share general appreciation. Among the complaints are headaches and eye pain.
The subject of the viral video was commented by accessibility manager at Electronic Arts, Morgan Baker. She asked not to be tagged under the video because it gives her a migraine aura.
The matter was addressed also by Ian Hamilton, an accessibility specialist in video games. He called on Katsuhiro Harada, a developer associated with the Tekken series for more than 30 years, to remove filters from the game amid fears of health consequences for some players. According to the specialist the approach to filters is a good one, but it needs to be redesigned with a focus on visually impaired players, whom they can realistically help.
Called upon, Katsuhiro Harada referred to the accusations, explaining that there will be a number of filter modification options in the game that will enables those affected by color blindness to customize the image to their needs. Harada informed that while working on the settings, the developers collaborated with research institutes and communities, and players testing the solution in practice were satisfied with it. In his statement, the developer particularly stressed that the filters will not be able to help everyone.
Tekken 8 will be released on January 26, 2024 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S and PC.
