Asymmetric Play in a Competitive Landscape: Attitudes and Fairness

This extended abstract, presented at DiGRA 2026 by researchers at Abertay University, investigates whether asymmetric adaptations can make competitive multiplayer games fair and accessible to both sighted players and blind and partially sighted players. The authors argue that accessibility efforts have largely bypassed competitive multiplayer titles, which often offer little assistance and can drive some players away from the genre. Framing fairness through Woodruff's three factors of equality, agreement, and transparency, the paper positions asymmetric design, drawing on precedents such as the handicap system in competitive sailing, as a path toward inclusion grounded in United Nations disability principles.

The paper surveys the current landscape, noting that single-player accessibility has advanced more quickly than competitive play, and reviews prior work on game balance and player perceptions of fairness. It cites Grabski et al. (2016), who found that enjoyment between sighted and partially sighted players converged over repeated rounds, and Trindade et al. (2025), who reported that sighted players sometimes perceived an advantage yet still found asymmetric competition engaging, with challenge judged fair by both groups.

The proposed methodology is practice-based and mixed-method. The researchers are developing a custom competitive game, TATS, with two asymmetric mechanisms: a high-contrast visual overlay that highlights enemies for partially sighted players, and an adaptive camouflage system that conceals blind and partially sighted players' avatars. The study will combine eye-tracking of sighted players, performance data, and interviews with players who have lived experience of sight loss. No results are reported, as the work is presented as an ongoing study.