Scared of spiders? You’re not alone.
We’ve taken a look at how game developers are battling the spooky web dwellers, one accesibility setting at a time.
Giant eight-legged freaks have become prime video game enemies over recent years, but for a small amount of players it’s proving to be a tough time.
Arachnophobia is estimated to affect 3% to 6% of the world’s population. While that doesn’t sound like much, it’s clearly enough for video game developers to care.
One of the biggest games right now triggering gamers’ fears of spiders is Hogwarts Legacy, but don’t worry; they’ve heard you.
Not the spiders, the developer!
Hogwarts Legacy developers have been transfiguring spider legs into roller skates to make the game more arachnophobia friendly. (Avalanche Studios)
READ MORE: Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 prequel fills the gaps between games
Hogwarts Legacy developers have just implemented a new ‘arachnophobia mode’ that allows players to reduce the intimidating appearance of the spiders lurking in the Forbidden Forest allowing even the most hairiest of the lot to look Riddikulus.
In this mode, the screeches of the spiders will be reduced and removed as well as the small spider ground effect spawners, it also makes static spider corpses in the world invisible and gives the large spiders roller skates!
Arachnophobes may play in peace going forward.
They’re not the first game to do something like this, it all stems back to Obsidian Entertainment’s survival action-adventure game Grounded.
Grounded was the first major game to offer an arachnophobia mode to gamers. (Xbox)
In Grounded, players control a tiny teenage adventurer, standing no taller than a bug. The game was the first to feature a setting to protect us from the eight-legged creeps. In settings, a slider can be adjusted to accommodate spider appearance.
It ranges from Level 1, where the spider’s legs are reduced in number from four instead of eight, all the way to Level 5, where the spiders appear just to be smooth orb-like shapes.
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor has also created an Arachnia Safe Mode that you can access in the gameplay submenu and when activated leaves the spider-like enemies looking less like the real thing.
READ MORE: REVIEW: Star Wars Jedi: Survivor an ‘emotional and force-gripping adventure’ (PS5)
Accessibility options like these are offering a bit more inclusivity to everyone. Accessibility within video games is split into three main categories; mobility, auditory, and visual. Adding such features for arachnophobia opens up a range of ways more people can play and engage with gaming.
Trigger warnings are also beneficial for those suffering from mental health issues and these small implementations from developers make a world of difference for some gamers.
The more people that can enjoy gaming in their own way, the better!
