AbleGamers.com is a site that is dedicated to the disabled gamer, causal or hardcore. We are here to offer a safe place for any gamer with any disability to explore game play, and find news and content that has them in mind.
Why is this important?
Mainstream gaming makers often develop games, and forget that that not everyone in the world approaches a game the same way. According to the US Census Bureau there are 21 Million people in the US with a disability, there are 8.6 million in the United Kingdom according to the Disabled Rights Commission, alone. In the world it is estimated that there are 650 million people who are disabled. This is a huge number of people that the game makers are leaving out in the cold.
PopCap recently commissioned a survey of their users, and found that a shocking 20% of those surveyed fell into the category of disabled. It is estimated that when you move out of the causal game space, and into the hardcore game space, that number is somewhere around 10%. That means that 10% of your clan member, guild members, forum friends, and that dude you just ganked is somehow disabled.
Let's put a cash value to it, if the worldwide gaming market is going to worth an estimated $46.5 billion by 2010, and 10% of the gaming market it disabled, that means that a game maker that does not look at the disabled gamer is leaving about $4.6 billion on the table.
How does AbleGamers fit
AbleGamers is the premier space online for disabled gamers. We spend a great deal of our time reaching out to game developers. Inviting them to reach out to our community, speak to our users, and recognize the 10% of the gaming market.
We work with the developer to show them how a disabled person may approach their game, some things to look out for, some things that make the game better to play.
About AbleGamer
AbleGamers is private venture, and in the near future (~April 2009) will be recognized by the IRS as a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation. That said, we are also a no profit venture, meaning we do not have any source of funding, AbleGamers is paid for out of pocket and from the few donation we take in. Everything you see on this site from the new to the graphics is volunteer work.
AbleGamers.com is run by Mark Barlet, a Disabled Veteran and avid gamer. He also looks to his best friend for almost 20 years for guidance "Camilya" who 10 years ago was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, for direction. Camilya is also an avid gamer (Until the baby that is) and helps in the reviews and the research. There is also a small group of avid members who helps keep the site fresh and exciting. Please see "Our Staff" page for the whole gang.
A Special Message to Developers that find this page.
Please reach out to us, let us help you make a game that everyone can play. Do not leave that 10% of gamers out of the game. Please contact us, click here.
