“Call of Duty is still not for everyone.”
Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2’s open beta has ended.
It was a trial I entered with an open mind.
Not fast-paced gunplay, but a game without commitment.
More than once I tried to back out and was booted back to the connection screen.
What options were available focussed on colourblind filters and button remapping.
Other aspects were more general.
There isn’t much difference between the parameters found in Modern Warfare 2019 and its sequel’s beta.
If that is the case, it would be good to see some evidence of that.
I asked disabled gamers on Twitter for input on what this evidence might look like from their perspective.
Certainly, these should be sliders and not the general presets found in past iterations.
So, too, is it frustrating not to see options for single-stick modes, auto-movement, or screen-reading.
Nor did Infinity Ward mention accessibilityin its response to feedback on the beta’s first weekend.
So, it appears unlikely greater accessibility is forthcoming.
Yes, these mechanics may play well in competitive spaces.
For instance, visibility in Call of Duty has been problematic for some time.
This could be improved by adding colour to uniforms.
Might this chafe against the realism a lot of players crave?
Perhaps, but a few weeks after release multiplayer will be inundated with cat ears and anime-inspired tracers.
But if it’s an option for players like me, it could be turned off.
Many players struggle with the rushing style many of Call of Duty’s vocal fans promote.
Instead, other methods of play are more comfortable.
For some, that means hanging back and sniping for a more manageable experience.
Given how mercenary Activision is, to exclude a huge potential market is, if nothing else, stupid.
Not that anyone is under the illusion that implementing greater accessibility would be easy.
Three years on, it’s pretty dump the IW engine isn’t built with that in mind.
But the scope of accessibility in the Modern Warfare 2 open beta is worryingly small.
An example thrown up in my discussions is Swamp.
That they’re not is, frankly, unacceptable.
Even though it, and all gaming, should be.
