Year 11 Season 3 of Rainbow Six Siegelaunched on September 1, kicking off a new evolution of the tactical first-person shooter with new content and major updates. To help players prepare, we've published details in this article, and we're diving deep into accessibility.
The Siege team has long had accessibility in their sights as a priority, as you'll see in our interview with User Experience Director Sébastien François. He describes the team's embrace of accessibility throughout the years, shares details on how they've been preparing for Siege X, and offers insights into their future. Read on to learn more.
What were the accessibility priorities as the game is towards the end of its 11th year? What are some of the features players can expect to see added?
Sébastien François: This has been an ongoing effort. Some features, such as the new visually interactive input remapping for controllers, and mouse and keyboard, were just delivered in Y11S3 to expand player control over how they interact with the game through their inputs. This was shipped within a completely overhauled Options menu with an Accessibility section of its own. More features will continue to roll out season after season!
The new input remapping system introduces a clearer remapping flow for input prompts, allowing multiple key bindings. Players can now choose between Press, Hold, and Toggle interaction types, providing more flexibility for players with motor disabilities and greater control for controller users.
Deployable devices now support Hold and Toggle options, while throwable devices can be equipped before throwing for more precise aiming.
We have also added a mouse and keyboard mapping overview scheme, allowing players to see their current inputs directly in a preview.
What is the Siege team's goal or guiding philosophy when it comes to accessibility?
SF: Siege is a tactical competitive shooter with a strong esports scene, which presents its own set of challenges compared to a single-player game, but we do not want to compromise on accessibility. We want as many players as possible to be able to engage with our unique gameplay elements with comfort, so they can enjoy the full extent of what the Siege experience has to offer. This is an integral part of our design process, and an important focus for our ongoing efforts to improve the game season after season.
What production processes has the team implemented to help facilitate these goals?
SF: We have a dedicated Siege Accessibility team that has led many different initiatives throughout the years, and continues to do so. We rely on them and our partners within Ubisoft to inform our decisions from the very beginning during the conception phase, aswewant to make sure that we're not creating unnecessary barriers.
One of the best things I've observed over time is that every member of the Siege team is an advocate for accessibility. During production meetings, various team members naturally bring up the importance of considering different aspects related to accessibility. This creates a positive environment that fosters the development of better and more inclusive designs.
Rainbow Six Siege is in its eleventh year. Have there been any major accessibility milestones or evolutions throughout its history?
SF: The first major milestone was the creation of the dedicated team I mentioned earlier. With proper resources and growing expertise, the team has delivered incredible improvements.
One such example is the option to customize the color of both teams, a feature that highlights the challenges a 10-year-old game can face. Implementing this required extensive restructuring and thoughtful design, as it impacts many aspects of the game, from the user interface to in-game lighting and textures. This system has been a key milestone in promoting accessibility and shaping our processes, from design conception to technical implementation.
New audio options were also introduced, such as customizable tinnitus sound options and controls for dynamic range.
Distinguishing visual information quickly is a necessity in Siege. Are there visual adaptations that players can implement to help them parse what they are seeing?
SF: We have worked to provide options that allow players to focus on the core elements of gameplay comfortably, such as reducing the intensity of bright flashes, and removing blur effects or camera shake.
It is crucial for players to distinguish their team's gadgets from their opponents', which is supported through team color customization. In addition to the color itself, the way it is displayed gives players cues about how the gadget can be interacted with; colored LEDs indicate electronic interactions, while colored textures signify a gadget's mechanical nature.
Looking ahead to the coming years of Siege, what are your plans for expanding or refining accessibility in the game?
SF: Providing visual support for sound will be one of our next major areas of investigation, and we're very excited to take on this challenge.
ACCESSIBILITY FEATURE LIST
Visual
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Colorblind accessible by design in HUD during a match
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Customizable team colors
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Customizable objective marker icon color and location ping color
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Customizable reticle color when aiming down sight
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Visual intensity configurable through various settings, including screen shake, motion blur, and a dark mode for bright flashes
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Configurable amount of information to display in HUD
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Configurable text, chat size, and background opacity
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Conversion of voice chat to text
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Conversion of communication wheel prompts and smart pings to text
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Communication Wheel
Audio
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Separate volume sliders for master, in-game music, in-game sounds, menu music, menu sounds, and voiceovers
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Voiceover presets to control amount of information communicated through voiceovers
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Configurable dynamic range to help avoid auditory fatigue by lowering the loudest sounds
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Configurable tinnitus sound effect of explosions and stun grenades
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Voice chat controls such as microphone volume, input mode, and noise threshold
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Conversion of text chat to voice
Controls
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Interactive input remapping for controller and__ mouse & keyboard__ along with Press / Hold / Toggle selection for gameplay interactions
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7 Controller presets
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Native mouse and keyboard support on consoles
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New configurable settings for deployable and throwable devices behaviors
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Configurable controller sensitivity settings, including configurable dead zones, acceleration, and more. Separate settings for aiming down sights
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Configurable mouse sensitivity settings
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Configurable ping double tap speed