Forza Horizon 5 adds sign language support today

eurogamer.net:

Sign language support is now available in Forza Horizon 5.

As reported last year, the feature has been in development for some time. From today, American Sign Language (ASL) and British Sign Language (BSL) support for in-game cinematics is added in a free update.

Sign language has been added to 150 in-game cinematics shown in between driving across Mexico.

Accessibility has been a key feature for studio Playground Games since the start of development, committing to gaining feedback from deaf and hard of hearing individuals.

Tara Voelker, who leads accessibility for Xbox Game Studios, led an inclusive workshop at Playground Games, which «set the tone for the entire product going forward,» she said.

The developers learned from people within the disability community about their experience in games.

«We got to talk to them and understand what it is that they struggled with in-game,» said Tarnya Smith, a producer at Playground Games for Forza Horizon 5. «For me it was quite an eye opener. We learned that although we think subtitles are great and help everyone, they actually aren't that helpful for people who are deaf or hard of hearing who rely on signing. It was a big wake up call for us.»

«And we realised that there's an opportunity to help people enjoy our games more by adding this feature,» said Mike Brown, creative director of Forza Horizon 5. «These are the key parts of the game that need to be preserved and protected.

»Games demand things of you in order to experience them. And when you do that, then there are going to be players who find different things, different levels of challenge.

«I think we are going to keep pushing and keep solving those problems for people for a very, very long time. The complexity the games