Hearthstone mod
drift boss • 09.09.2022 • Job Interview tips
A Hearthstone mod that enables the game's accessibility for players who are blind or visually handicapped is currently broken, and those players are pleading with Blizzard to make these features official.
For several of the game's modes, a free patch called Hearthstone Access adds screen reader functionality. More information is available on the Github page(opens in new tab), and the video below gives you an idea of how it functions in practice. However, if you're not accustomed to screen readers, you might find it challenging to follow along.
Hearthstone Access features many translators, but the majority of the development was done by a single developer who goes by the moniker of GuideDev. You can install the mod "at your own risk," according to GuideDev's FAQ for the mod, as Blizzard reserves the right to decide whether mod users will be blacklisted. The studio has even partnered with GuideDev in recent months to share early notice of impending changes so that the mod may be rapidly updated.
These updates are required because the Hearthstone Access mod breaks with each new Hearthstone patch. Players that depend on Hearthstone Access to enjoy the game have been unable to play since the August 30 update since GuideDev will be unavailable until the middle of September.
The modder isn't being blamed by the players because this was solely a community initiative created in GuideDev's free time. However, people are beginning to press Blizzard to formally announce these improvements.
According to BlindAsABatGirl(opens in new tab), a Reddit user, "Why doesn't Blizzard invest some actual resources in helping the development team adapt Hearthstone's accessibility naturally if they are investing all of these resources into Runestones? A lot of us are really paying Blizzard for bundles, Hero skins, and Tavern Passes; if we lost access to the game, we'd lose access to stuff we had already paid for. It's extremely awful that we may lose access to the game so rapidly and without our fault. This time it'll likely only be a few weeks (hopefully), but it is a precarious existence when only one person is responsible for the accessibility of a game."
Octordle has made some efforts to expand Hearthstone's accessibility, as recent expansion trailers have featured audio description versions, though those are tangential to the game itself. Blizzard has been contacted for comment; if we hear back, we'll update.