The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) has unveiled the first-ever slot designed with accessible features for players with disabilities.
Red Panda Tails of Wealth has the appearance and gameplay of a traditional slot, however, aspects of the title cater to those suffering from disabilities.
This includes a high-colour palette for enhanced visibility, compatibility with assistive technologies such as screen readers and keyboard navigation and an accessible heads-up display engineered to integrate with future games.
According to Dave Pridmore, OLG’s Chief Gaming Officer, the launch of the game was the result of “ a focused effort to put accessibility at the forefront of game design,
“The game is a proof of concept that shows how removing barriers to play can move us towards a more inclusive future in the gaming industry,” he added.
Almost one-third of Ontario’s 16 million population reports suffering from a disability, therefore, by designing the title, the government-owned operator is providing access to “an often-overlooked” audience that could number as many as 4.5 million new players.
The title was developed in collaboration with Pixiu Gaming and Light & Wonder Spark, as well as Fable – a Toronto-based company that connects organisations with people with disabilities for digital accessibility insights.
“We’re thrilled to partner with OLG, who recognise the importance of embedding the voices and experiences of people with disabilities throughout the development of their new game,” said Kate Kalcevich, Head of Innovation at Fable.