Hello Ability Powered, gamers! I wanted to talk to you about something relatively new to Steam that just hasn’t been mentioned much in the accessibility community and for the life of me I don’t understand why. It is called Remote Play Together. While I’m not getting into a how-to guide here (that is definitely a separate topic for a different discussion), I do want to tell you guys what it does and why it is important as an accessibility tool.
I don’t know about you, but there are a lot of games I could use a little help playing. While game accessibility is getting better every day, there always seems to be some new hot game that I struggle with. Either it just doesn’t have an accessibility feature I need, or it is so fast paced that I get stuck and can’t progress the story. I either could just not play the game at all or wait and hope more options are added to make it accessible, but either way look at all the adventures I would miss out on. With Remote Play Together, I don’t have to.
What is Remote Play Together?
A few months ago there was a new and interesting addition to Steam that didn’t really get that much attention. Aside from the customary Steam sale to give it a boost and make sure everyone saw the new feature, this new system was called Remote Play Together. It gives gamers the ability to play with their friends across the world. Basically, if you own a game that has Remote Play Together, you can launch the game, invite a friend to join even if they don’t own it, and you can give them access to play the game using your mouse; keyboard; or both. If you are familiar with Xbox One’s Copilot mode, then you probably have an idea of how this works, but for those of you who haven’t tried it let me explain.
If I started a Remote Play Together session with you, I could either just let you watch me play, I could let you play by yourself and just watch you, or we could work out a system to play the game together. For example, I could control the mouse and you could control the keyboard. While you are running through the the woods, I could be shooting bad guys! While this is the basic way it all works, what does it mean for accessibility?
Adventures Made Accessible
I am going to be honest with you guys. Sometimes I have even had a friend send me saves right after points in a game I had gotten stuck on. There would be a certain part I couldn’t get past because of some mechanic I couldn’t execute because of accessibility issues. The problem with doing this is both of us would need to own the game and to be at the same spot in the story. Now, I can invite someone into any game that has Remote Play Together and get real time help even if it is a game they don’t own.
Another way it has been a huge help is because it lets you test a game out before you buy it. How many times have all your friends been drooling over a new hot game, begging you to get it too, but you put off buying it because you don’t really know if you can play? With Remote Play Together, I can just try their game and see how well I can play it without dropping a ton of money.
A Big Win for Remote Play Together
Sadly, sometimes that new hot game is just too hard for me to play solo. I can setup voice commands, eye gaze areas, remap controls, and the game will still be too hard for me to enjoy. Sometimes, I want to see the game, but also interact in any way I can. I know you can watch just about any game being streamed 24 hours, 7 days a week, but it’s not the same as actually being in the adventure with a friend. Going where you want, doing what you want… Yes, totally ignoring the main quest because there is a side quest to save little Billy’s lost corgi. You can’t skip searching for the doggo just because the world’s being invaded by space bunnies! You guys get the picture. With Remote Play Together, me and a friend can work out responsibilities for each of us and hop right in. Maybe my only job is to hit a button to jump or maybe a button to loot. Whatever way you and your friend want to split up responsibilities, you can.
What Can the Gaming Industry Learn from Steam?
I love to co-pilot games. It gives me and a friend an unforgettable adventure, and lets me see stories I would otherwise miss out on. The problem is that my friends aren’t always right beside me in the same room. Sometimes they are states away. Remote Play Together is a great way to bridge that gap and let me play more games. Sometimes it means by getting help when I need help, trying out games before I buy them, or by co-piloting a game with someone five hours away from me. Other platforms could learn from Steam’s lead and open up their gaming consoles in a whole new way. Developers also need to understand the benefits of enabling this feature in the games they develop for Steam. While this certainty is not a replacement for advancing accessible design, it would open up gaming to a whole new world of possibilities!
Want to read more of my accessibility thoughts? Head over to my Opinion category to find more!
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