Accessibilty Arcade

An accessible arcade – Accessibilty Arcade – is open for all gamers in the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library in D.C. The idea of one had been showcased in the past but it’s a permanent fixture developed by The Ablegamers Foundation that can be enjoyed by visitors. 

Why is this so important? 

Glad you asked! 

First, it’s important to individuals with limitations (and their families) to be able to enjoy the same type of good stuff that you & I take for granted. Me? Not much of a gamer. But I have the option to not be one. With this type of technology, thousands of people (if not more) now have the option to not be a gamer, like me.  =D

Another reason this is great stuff is because beyond the fun of playing there’s the therapeutic aspect. Hand-eye coordination is something that has often been touted by defenders of gaming when non-gamers commented on the time wasted in front of the screen (I would never). And it’s true. Gaming offers a fun way to improve cognitive ability as well as fine, and sometimes gross, motor skills, depending on the type of game.

So play on, playas! 

Check out some images in this article: Life Labs Attends Launch of Ablegamers Accessibility Arcade 

UPDATE:
UCP’s Life Labs has recently won a CVS Community Grant that will help to build a prototype mobile accessible gaming station in partnership with the AbleGamers Foundation. Read more about it here.