Please support Game Informer. Print magazine subscriptions are less than $2 per issue
Deaf Overwatch Fans Are Coming Up With Unique Callouts For Each Character
The games industry has recently made huge strides towards making gaming accessible to differently-abled fans. Microsoft revealed their adaptive controller, which can be customized to accommodate a wide variety of control schemes, and teams like Naughty Dog are allowing players to skip quick-time events that may be hard to perform.
Even so, players often move faster than studios. This is the case with Danik Soudakoff, a deaf overwatch fan. Featured in an Overwatch League's recap video, he's worked with Overwatch League's interpreter to create unique gestures in American Sign Language for each character.
Genji's sign mimes his signature sword swirling, while Widowmaker's mimics lining up a sniper shot. Danik says that when he watches on twitch, he doesn't understand anything. That's why he goes to the live events, where he's able to watch a live interpreter and experience the excitement of the crowd.
Other fans have come up with tweaks Blizzard could implement to help deaf players in the game. Characters typically announce their ultimates with vocal callouts, but small symbols near the edge of the screen would help hearing-impaired players equally aware of them.
One of Overwatch's strengths is its diverse cast of characters. It's great to see efforts to make it accessible to an equally diverse cast of fans.
I’d like to ask you to support Game Informer’s continued coverage of games with a subscription. For less than two dollars per issue, we mail you a full year of 10 print magazines, each with cover stories and preview features filled with exclusive details about the most exciting upcoming games. We profile and interview game creators. We look back on the rich history of gaming, and we celebrate what’s next.
Here on the website, we offer much of our content for free, including game reviews, daily news, videos, event coverage, and more – all with minimal ads.
We do so with a small editorial team, alongside contributing paid writers from around the world – over 65 individuals from 9 countries around the world, just in the last couple of years.
It’s not possible without support.
In a time when game makers and games coverage have faced hard struggles and layoffs, the future of this 30+ year magazine and community is at risk. Our new standalone magazine subscription is the number one way you can keep us alive – and we believe you’ll get a pretty fantastic gaming magazine in your mailbox every few weeks for your trouble.
Thank you.
