At Evo 2023, a blind Street Fighter 6 player went viral after winning an impressive game. He gives game developers even more reasons for further accessibility in video games.
At the annual Evolution Championship Series (or just Evo) in Las Vegas, fighting game elites meet up to compete and solidify who the best gamer is. A lot of anticipation surrounded the second tournament for Street Fighter 6, which was released earlier this year.
Blind Player Wins Street Fighter 6 Game And Our Hearts At Evo 2023
On Day 1 the crowd got to witness a moment full of inspiration. The player BlindWarriorSven won an impressive game against fellow player EternalPancake. But BlindManSven isn't any normal player. As his name suggests, he is blind. Sven lost his eyesight when he was just six years old due to cancer.
He still found joy in playing fighting games, especially from the Street Fighter franchise. Sven used the in-game sounds to determine his position on the map, his opponent's position in relation to him and the attacks that are being used against him. He has become a little bit of a household-name in the Street Fighter Community.
Sven is a big advocate for more inclusivity in the gaming world, having just recently flown all the way from the Netherlands to Canada to visit his disabled friend Joey McCluesky to play some Street Fighter 6 together in person.
Street Fighter 6 has been released with well-made accessibility options. A distinct-audio design makes it very easy to identify the position of the opponent and the attacks being used on you. Sven's victory at Evo made some big waves throughout the fighting game community.
Blind Evo Player wins set Street Fighter 6! by u/Flat-Profession-8945 in Fighters
This victory proves why accessibility for everyone is so important. Including people into your game by having well-designed accessibility options will strengthen the competition. Sven is the perfect example for that. And he proves, that if you are dedicated enough, you can climb any barrier, no matter how high they might seem.