Let's unlock a new future,
together.

Image of Access Unlocked mascot - dog with key in mouth

Who We Are

Accessibility Unlocked is a group of like minded individuals, all eager to change the shape of game development in Australia & New Zealand. Made up of disabled, neurodiverse, gender diverse, queer and allies, we believe in raising the profile, awareness, connections, and understanding of accessibility in the games industry, especially locally.

Our focus is to connect disabled developers in ANZ with resources, opportunities, conversations - and each other.

For too long, developers have been afraid to admit their accessibility needs - whether mental, emotional, physical, financial, or otherwise. The risks to employment and opportunity were deemed too high, and instead we suffer in silence, burning out and leaving the industry as our needs aren’t met. Our aim to support those developers in being part of the industry, providing them, their managers, and their team members with ways to help them succeed.  On the flip side, abled developers and managers can be afraid of engaging with accessibility needs of their audience or team, scared of the potential to offend or to make the wrong move. We want to break down the barriers between these audiences, and encourage open and positive conversation.

We view our role as that of a linchpin - we’re here as a resource and connecting body to industry and those outside it. Our intersections and understanding of accessibility needs are limited to our personal experiences - which while broad, don’t cover every potential need a developer may have, and every person is different. We aim to connect people to the right people for the right conversations, and the right resources.

As a volunteer run organisation, we provide a foundation, can answer questions you may be uncomfortable or unsure about asking publicly, and point you to the right people for questions we can’t or shouldn’t answer.



What We Do

  • Help to connect disabled developers within the community to each other as a support system, network, and act as a reminder that we’re not alone.
  • Act as a contact point for resources and community, that is Australia and NZ based, focusing on some of the local challenges and opportunities.
  • Connect abled developers with disabled devs and players, to further accessibility discussions and successes in making more games playable for all.
  • Provide assistance to events organizers and organisations across the games industry to provide better opportunities, support, and accessibility to their events and initiatives
  • Individually consult on our own intersections of disability and act as accessibility consultants for different games studios, companies, and organizations in Australia/NZ and around the world

Meet the Team

Core Team
Meredith Profile Picture

Meredith

She/Her
@merryh
Cameron Profile Picture

Cameron

They/Them
@CatRelatedPun
Zala Profile Picture

Zala

She/They
@zalahabib
Calliope Profile Picture

Calliope

She/Her
@callioperyder
Past Collaborators
  • Joe

Jess

Tiger

Resources

We've compiled a list of useful online resources for devs, to help make your accessibility journey smoother.

We recognise that there is differences in community in how they prefer to be referred to - whether identity first or person first. We've used identity first here, but we recognise this is not everyone's first choice! If you can, ask someone their preference, and try and respect that. We do however, avoid language that is dehumanizing, as well as some terms such as "differently abled", "special needs", "handicapped" and so on.

This list is not exhaustive, but it's a great starting point. If you need someting specific, feel free to get in touch and we can point you in the right direction.


Accessibility for Games:

Accessibility for Websites:

Why to make Games more Accessible:

Resources for Disabled Developers:

Accessibility for Events:

Get In Touch

Whether you’ve got a question, an idea, or a concern - feel free to get in touch with us directly!

We've removed our web form due to bots, so please get in touch via hello @ accessunlocked.games.