How good game ideas create true inclusion 🤝
Imagine being invited to play a game – but the game isn't for you. The rules? Perfectly suited for those who can see, hear, speak, and sprint. Everyone else? They're allowed to play – sort of. It sounds like inclusion, but is often just well-intentioned exclusion in a fancy guise.
Let's be honest: When you see the phrase "inclusive team play" somewhere, what do you think? Maybe that someone in a wheelchair is allowed to play? Or that a visually impaired person is "somehow included"? Well-intentioned, but not really thought through. Because inclusion often ends where the game begins – with the rules. And what happens then is often a case of "participation is everything," where no one is truly allowed to play.
True inclusion? It doesn't mean "generously letting someone participate." It means designing the game from the very beginning so that it truly... all to participate. Not "despite" but That's why . And that makes games better, more exciting – and often much funnier.
🚫 Why classic games are being mercilessly excluded
Most group games don't mean any harm – they're just too narrow-minded. They assume everyone has good eyesight, clear hearing, articulate speech, and can run quickly. But what if that's not possible?
- 👁️ See: Distinguishing colors? Recognizing images? Impossible for many with visual impairments.
- 👂 Hear: Understanding announcements? Responding to shouts? Only works with good hearing.
- 🗣️ Speak: Explaining terms? Cheering people on? No chance without a voice.
And what happens then? Usually, it's: "You can watch – it's exciting too!" Or: "We'll just adjust it for you." Sounds nice. But it's often like putting a band-aid on a splinter – it doesn't really help.
But thankfully, there's another way. And two games that turn everything upside down demonstrate how – and they're a lot of fun.
🙈 Feel & Find: All blind, all equal
Blindfold yourself – and off you go. Here, you touch, puzzle, and feel. Patterns, shapes, combinations? Experiencing everything with your hands alone. No colors. No glances. No advantages.
For people with visual impairments? A piece of cake. For everyone else? A real change of perspective.
🎯 What the game can do:
- Make the sense of touch the star
- Eliminates optical differences
- Shows: In the dark everyone plays fair
👉 Curious about Feel & Find? This way!
🤫 Square Up: Speech is silver, silence is a duty
A communication game – but without words. No whispering, no shouting, no "Wrong part, try this!" Only gestures, glances, movement. And suddenly, body language becomes a superpower.
🎯 What the game can do:
- Stop speech dominance
- Works perfectly with deaf people
- Create a level for everyone – completely without language
👉 Learn more about Square Up here!
Both games demonstrate that inclusion isn't just the icing on the cake – it's the very foundation of good games. When the rules are right, no one is just a polite guest – they're fully involved, with genuine participation. That's fun. And meaningful.
🌍 How inclusion is played out outside our national borders
Did you know, for example, that in Mongolia there's a traditional dice game played with small bones – where skill counts more than strength or speed? Or that among indigenous peoples in South America, games often tell stories – so that even people with cognitive impairments can participate in their own way?
Long before we in Europe discussed "accessibility," many cultures had games that embodied this very principle. In North America, indigenous communities used cooperative games to strengthen cohesion—no one was excluded. Everyone contributed something.
Rhythmic movement games like "Ampe" originated in Africa, involving all age groups – without complicated rules, without pressure to perform. Just join in. Just belong.
Asia also has many traditional games that emphasize teamwork rather than competition: In the Japanese game "Darumasan ga Koronda" (a kind of "Ox on the Mountain"), quick reflexes are required, but not loud shouting or physical strength. Everyone can play – in their own way.
And today? Projects like Special Olympics' "Play Unified" show that people with and without disabilities can play together – with the same rules, the same goals, on equal terms.
What we can learn from this: Inclusion is not a new idea. It's ancient – we just need to listen again. And start thinking differently. Those who look beyond their own horizons will discover diversity that is already a reality – and gain plenty of inspiration for new game ideas.
All of this makes games not only more inclusive – but Simply better.
✅ No more: "Taking part is everything!"
Let's recall the beginning: We talked about games that are made for some – and not for many. About well-intentioned participation that feels more like passive observation. But it can be different. And we've seen it – in games like... Feel & Find , Square Up , or cultures that have always focused on community rather than exclusion.
What we need are games that don't adapt , but Invite . Invite. Invite. Don't start from a deficit perspective, but from one of diversity. Inspire curiosity about what happens when everyone is allowed to contribute their unique strengths.
Because if all Playing along no longer counts, who is different – but only, how good we are together.
