How Can Assistance and Its Disclosure Promote Fairness in Inclusive Esports?
Shuto Sako, Tomoki Ikeda, Ryosuke Aoki, Akihiro Miyata · 2025 · ASSETS '25: Proceedings of the 27th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility · doi:10.1145/3663547.3746368
Summary
This paper investigates how skill assistance and its disclosure affect perceptions of fairness in inclusive esports, where players with and without disabilities compete together. The gaming industry's competitive focus has led many commercial titles to neglect accessibility, particularly for individuals with upper limb disabilities who struggle with the precise, rapid finger movements required in first-person shooter (FPS) games. The authors conducted two complementary studies. In Study 1, nine participants — four with upper limb disabilities (PUs) and five able-bodied players (PAs) — competed in one-on-one FPS matches under four conditions combining skill assistance availability and disclosure status. The custom FPS game implemented aim assistance at three levels, automatically adjusting crosshair alignment toward opponents based on the player's assessed skill level. In Study 2, 29 spectators (17 with disabilities, 12 able-bodied) watched gameplay recordings from Study 1 and evaluated enjoyment and fairness. The experimental design used a 2x2 factorial approach manipulating assistance provision and disclosure, with conditions labeled NA (no assistance, no disclosure), SA (assistance, no disclosure), NA-D (no assistance, with disclosure), and SA-D (assistance, with disclosure).
Key findings
Study 1 demonstrated that skill assistance significantly improved game balance: mean score differences between able-bodied and disabled players dropped from 556 (no assistance) to 282-344 (with assistance), and PUs won 3-5 matches with assistance compared to 0-1 without. Both PUs and PAs rated matches with assistance higher on difficulty appropriateness, enjoyment, and fairness. Crucially, disclosure had minimal impact on gameplay outcomes or perceptions — no notable differences emerged between disclosed and concealed assistance conditions. However, qualitative interviews revealed nuanced perspectives: most participants (7 of 9) believed assistance should be disclosed, primarily to avoid discomfort and promote transparency. PUs unanimously felt no need to hide their assistance, while novice PAs wanted disclosure to help them accept losses. Skilled PAs were indifferent about disclosure, confident they could win regardless. In Study 2, spectators rated assisted matches more positively for both enjoyment and fairness. However, able-bodied spectators evaluated the absence of assistance more negatively than spectators with disabilities, possibly reflecting social perceptions that disabled people inherently need support.
Relevance
This research is significant for the growing field of gaming accessibility and inclusive esports design. As esports becomes a major form of social participation and even professional competition, ensuring that players with motor disabilities can compete meaningfully is an important accessibility frontier. The findings provide evidence that skill assistance can improve competitive balance without undermining perceived fairness — a key concern that has limited adoption of such features. The disclosure findings are particularly nuanced: while it doesn't affect gameplay, transparency matters for social and psychological reasons, and different stakeholders (players vs. spectators, disabled vs. non-disabled) have different perspectives. The work offers practical design implications for esports organizers and game developers: implement calibrated skill assistance, establish clear disclosure policies, and consider both player and spectator experiences when designing inclusive competitive gaming environments.
Tags: gaming accessibility · esports · motor disabilities · player balancing · fairness · inclusive design