The Sento Showdown: How a Mortal Kombat Tournament Seeks to Raise Accessibility Awareness

ign.com:

Fighting games are communal by nature, and the broader Fighting Game Community (FGC) and the many pockets of it that pop up around different games regularly create and participate in events based on their favorite games. From Super Smash Bros. to Mortal Kombat to Street Fighter, players of varying skill levels gather to compete, occasionally teach, and celebrate their favorite fighting games. The FGC fosters growth and support to both professional and casual members of all walks of life, so it’s only natural that events catering toward disabled players would form, too.

Fighting game popularity amongst disabled players has evolved with the broader accessibility movement. Control remapping, difficulty settings, and even the upcoming Street Fighter 6’s different control modes to allow for easier moves and combos are all tools that can alleviate or even remove barriers preventing disabled people from properly playing. These inclusive design practices and accessible features were directly responsible for the creation of The Sento Showdown, a Mortal Kombat tournament exclusive to blind/low vision players. Speaking with IGN, Showdown founder Carlos Vasquez dove back into the tournament’s origins, reminisced on its evolution and continued prominence within the FGC, and explained his hopes for the future of fighting game accessibility and disabled inclusion.

The Sento Showdown recently held its third season.

Vasquez is no stranger to the competitive scene. In 2013, he competed in the Evolution Championship Series, and in 2019 participated in Combo Breaker, a collection of community-based shows and events. After his 2013 performance, he had the opportunity to share accessibility concerns with several developers from NetherRealm