Both ASL and BSL on-screen support are part of the update
Playground Games is adding an interesting new accessibility option to its racing sandbox. On-screen sign language, both ASL and BSL, arrives in an update to Forza Horizon 5 tomorrow.
The previously announced update was shown off ahead of Forza Horizon 5‘s launch. Alongside a bevy of accessibility options that came packed in with Forza, the Horizon entry will have sign language for cinematics. These will be in both American Sign Language (ASL) and British Sign language (BSL).
Playground and several others at Microsoft and in the accessibility community break down the update in a new video.
It’s a cool feature to see, and one that adds more accessibility to the driving experience. Subtitles might seem like a workable solution at first. Cameron Akitt, a teacher of deaf and hard-of-hearing children in London who suggested the update to Playground in a workshop, tells IGN in an interview that isn’t always the case. Sign language is its own language, and including this option allows some players to experience Forza Horizon 5 in their first language, rather than second or third.
Playground Games won the trophy for Innovation in Accessibility at last year’s Game Awards. It’s nice to see that part of their post-launch update cadence has included building on that. It’s both a really intriguing concept with cool tech behind it, and a great option for more people to feel at home and comfortable in the world of Horizon.
The ASL and BSL support update rolls into Forza Horizon 5 on March 1.
