Games across all platforms have various accessibility options these days but they don’t always have all of the same ones we think are important. However, the option that’s pretty universal, and usually set as default, is subtitles. All of the speech, whether narration or scene dialogue, in the text isn’t just for those with hearing impairments.

As games have become more accessible to more people, we realise that subtitles play a larger role in immersion in games for more reasons than you might think.

Who uses game subtitles?

Hearing impairments

At the most fundamental level, those with hearing impairments, like deafness, will always have subtitles turned on to follow any dialogue or narration happening on screen.

Did you know that they aren’t the only people who have auditory processing issues?

On the autism spectrum, some have trouble processing sound in different ways. Some people may have an issue with sudden and loud noises that could trigger them. Some have issues with delayed auditory processing where they may miss words or entire lines as they play games or watch TV.

Visual Impairments

You may think that if you’ve got a visual impairment, you won’t be reading much on screen, but we have subtitles on for different reasons and in different ways. Even those with visual impairments might prefer playing a game in the original language and won’t understand it.

Playing a game in the original language to stay as immersed as possible is usually the priority. It’s not just about having subtitles but being able to adjust the size and colour contrast.

For those with visual impairments, the main option will almost always be text size. However, changing the color for better contrast and even adding a background color to enhance it even more will come next. For those who are colour blind, subtitle colour will also need to change, especially in different environments.

Paying attention

It’s not just the younger generation who has issues with paying attention these days. Technology is all around and it has had an impact on our attention spans. Some people may have some form of attention deficit disorder, autism, or auditory processing issue which can pull their attention in many different directions.

Adding subtitles to the screen can help you stay focused by forcing you to read as you play so that you don’t miss anything in the story. Maybe play the game in the original language like a JRPG in the original Japanese so that you have to pay attention to what’s written and happening on screen.

Many people are double-screening these days, so keeping subtitles on will keep your attention on the game instead of your phone or TV.

Gamers with busy households may also have issues with paying attention to their games. Whether it’s the kids, housemates, family, or LAN friends, having subtitles on will keep you focused on what’s in front of you.

Sound mixing

This one is on the developers. It’s not just movies that have this trend of having actors seem like they’re whispering and then blowing your eardrums with explosions and sound effects. Games are following the trend of very quiet voice acting with the game sound effects being much louder, so you turn it down. It can be especially frustrating with the accents of the voice actors, making it even harder to hear.

If the game doesn’t have options to lower sound effects and increase speech audio, having subtitles on will help you follow dialogue while the master sound is turned down.

Streamers

Some people enjoy watching others play games. Many streamers want their entire audience to feel included, so they turn on subtitles for them. Some of the people watching might have any of the above issues to deal with. Some of these people who stream their gameplay might like talking to their audience, so the game sound might be low already, so others watching can follow the story of the game while listening to the chat.

The most popular subtitle settings

Text size

Subtitle text size can change for various situations. If you’re near-sighted, it may be comfortable to see everything on a specific screen at a certain distance, but the text will need to be enlarged, while it’s the opposite for somebody who is far-sighted. Sometimes increasing text size will just help with eye strain if you’re playing for a long time.

Colour and background

For those who are colour blind, contrast is an issue, so if a game doesn’t specifically have colour blind settings, just changing the subtitle colour will improve their experience.

For games with colourful environments, having a black background for white text, or any other combination, will improve contrast and help gamers read more easily.

Subtitle location

On almost every platform, subtitles will be at the bottom of the screen so as to not interfere with the immersion of the game. However, some games will add dialogue threads in a corner of the screen to help gamers who read more slowly to keep track of what’s going on. Some games may even just add dialogue subtitles above the character who is talking to help those with cognitive disorders follow which character is speaking, rather than just a name next to the text.

When games have the option to toggle one or more of these text location options, gamers can choose exactly how they experience and follow the story and dialogue throughout their playthrough.

Some visual impairments determine exactly the location of where a person has the best sight. Being able to change the location of the subtitles, whether it’s more into the eyeline or move it away will help these gamers see the game or subtitles better to their preference.

Subtitles are there to help with immersion.

Subtitles are an important addition to games for many different reasons. Whether you turn them on and adjust them to accommodate a disability or help you focus on the story, you should never feel judged for it.

Some people want to play the game in the original language. The original voice acting can convey emotions better while dubbing could feel like you’re missing out on nuances. Having subtitles will help you experience the acting more accurately while still being able to understand what’s happening on screen.

Others have subtitles on to keep themselves from getting distracted or helping their audience enjoy the game as much as they are.

Your subtitle options and preferences don’t show up for anybody else, so you can be reassured that you can enjoy the story and dialogue as much as the game will allow.

You can also read my article about other accessibility options used by all gamers.