The road toFinal Fantasy 16has begun.
If these sound like typical accessibility features, that’s because they are.
(This is spoken through a translator.)
“Some players maybe are not as good at dodging as other players.”
This is the target audience for the rings then, as opposed to being considerations specifically for disabled players.
Regardless, the changes these rings implement are the exact features many disabled players need.
Intended or not, this has already become an accessibility issue.
And an issue it is.
It can be tempting to look at unorthodox ways to implement accessibility as being clever.
But Final Fantasy 16’s touted system is one that unintentionally disadvantages disabled players.
The intention may well be for the rings to be unequipped as one gets used to the combat.
But as should beveryclear by now, developer intent means very little when it comes to accessibility.
But when those missteps actively work against inclusive design, it’s hard to ignore.
Rather than accessibility gone wrong, Final Fantasy 16’s system feels well-intentioned but ultimately misguided.
