Esports established themselves as a cornerstone of the consumer market, with some value estimations exceeding more than 1 billion dollars globally. With the help of influencers and streaming platforms, like Twitch, the industry expects to see continued growth.

As game clips go viral every other day, streamers have certainly played a significant role in the rise of Esports popularity. Well-known streamers like Tim the Tatman and Nickmercs have fans tune in from all over the world, increasing their viewership to the hundreds of thousands. Esports and streaming create an inclusive environment that allows streamers, like Carlos Vazquez (@obskhrattlehead), to take center stage. Vasquez, a visually impaired gamer, can share accessibility concerns with developers from NetherRealm Studios, which resulted in key added features to the fighting game, “Injustice.” Games like “Street Fighter 6” soon followed, adding different control modes that allow easier moves and combos to enhance the overall experience for gamers with disabilities. These accessible features contributed to the creation of the “Sento Showdown,” a Mortal Kombat tournament for blind and low vision gamers. As the gaming community continues to grow, we hope to see an increase in opportunities for gamers with disabilities.