How do you increase the reach of your games to underserved audiences?

1 Understand your audience

The first step to reach underserved audiences is to understand who they are, what they need, and what they want from games. You can do this by conducting user research, surveys, interviews, or focus groups with diverse and representative samples of players. You can also use data analytics, feedback channels, and online communities to gather insights and feedback from your existing and potential players. By understanding your audience, you can identify their pain points, preferences, motivations, and expectations, and design your games accordingly.

2 Implement accessibility features

Accessibility features are design elements or options that make your games easier or more comfortable to play for people with different abilities, preferences, or situations. For example, you can include subtitles, captions, or voice-over for people with hearing impairments; adjustable text size, contrast, or colorblind modes for people with visual impairments; remappable controls, alternative input methods, or difficulty settings for people with physical or cognitive impairments; or offline modes, cloud saves, or cross-platform compatibility for people with limited internet access or devices. Accessibility features can make your games more playable and enjoyable for a wider range of players, and show that you care about their needs and experiences.

3 Create inclusive content

Inclusive content is content that reflects and respects the diversity and identity of your players, such as their culture, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, age, or religion. For example, you can create diverse and realistic characters, stories, settings, and themes that represent and celebrate different perspectives and experiences; avoid stereotypes, tropes, or clichés that might be offensive, harmful, or inaccurate; or provide options for players to customize or express themselves in your games. Inclusive content can make your games more appealing and relevant for underserved audiences, and foster a sense of belonging and empowerment among them.

4 Engage with your community

Engaging with your community is a way to communicate, interact, and collaborate with your players, especially those from underserved audiences. You can do this by creating and maintaining social media channels, websites, blogs, newsletters, or forums where you can share updates, news, or behind-the-scenes stories about your games; solicit feedback, suggestions, or questions from your players; or showcase fan-made content, testimonials, or reviews. You can also participate in events, campaigns, or initiatives that support or promote game accessibility and inclusivity, such as game jams, awards, or advocacy groups. Engaging with your community can help you build trust, loyalty, and advocacy among your players, and learn from their experiences and opinions.

5 Test and iterate your games

Testing and iterating your games is a process of evaluating, improving, and refining your games based on data, feedback, or results. You can do this by conducting usability tests, accessibility audits, or quality assurance checks with your target players, especially those from underserved audiences; collecting and analyzing metrics, ratings, or reviews from your players; or implementing patches, updates, or expansions to address issues, bugs, or requests from your players. Testing and iterating your games can help you ensure that your games meet or exceed the expectations and satisfaction of your players, and that you are responsive and accountable to their needs and wants.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?