AI for Inclusion: A Systematic Review on Artificial Intelligence for Accessibility in Digital Games
Resumo
Context: Digital games are an important site of social participation, learning, and inclusion. However, many games still lack accessibility features, and key disability groups remain under-served. Problem: Although Artificial Intelligence (AI) and games have been intertwined since the early days of computing, its use for accessibility remains under-documented. Methodology: To identify and analyze the use of AI applied to accessibility in digital games, we conducted a systematic literature review. We answer questions regarding how it is being applied, what accessibility needs are addressed, what techniques are used, and what gaps remain in the literature. Preliminary results: Of the 4 selected studies and 10 additional literature reviews, we found that the use of AI techniques for accessibility in digital games is still underexplored, with few categories of disabilities and AI techniques being employed.
Palavras-chave:
Artificial Intelligence, Accessibility, Digital Games
Referências
AbleGamers (2018). Accessible player experiences. Accessed: December 7, 2025.
Aytemiz, B., Shu, X., Hu, E., e Smith, A. M. (2020). Your buddy, the grandmaster: repurposing the game-playing ai surplus for inclusivity. In Proceedings of the Sixteenth AAAI Conference on Artificial Intelligence and Interactive Digital Entertainment, AIIDE’20. AAAI Press.
Ayushi, Mishra, P., Ansari, A., e Maurya, D. (2025). Advancements in assistive technologies for web accessibility: A systematic review. In Emerging Trends in Computer Science and Its Application, pages 372–376. CRC Press.
Boubakri, M. e Nafil, K. (2025). Gamification solutions for persons with disabilities: a systematic literature review. Universal Access in the Information Society, 24:1009–1035.
Chemnad, K. e Othman, A. (2024). Digital accessibility in the era of artificial intelligence: Bibliometric analysis and systematic review. Frontiers in Artificial Intelligence, 7:1349668.
Cimolino, G., Askari, S., e Graham, T. N. (2021). The role of partial automation in increasing the accessibility of digital games. Proc. ACM Hum.-Comput. Interact., 5(CHI PLAY).
Dwyer, N., Harrison, M., O’Mara, B., e Harley, K. (2024). Inclusive gaming through ai: a perspective for identifying opportunities and obstacles through co-design with people living with mnd. Frontiers in Computer Science, 6.
Etxabe-Antia, A., Beitia-Amondarain, A., González de Heredia-López de Sabando, A., et al. (2025). Characterisation of accessibility guidelines for digital technologies. Universal Access in the Information Society, 24:2105–2125.
Game Accessibility Guidelines (2012). Game Accessibility Guidelines. Accessed: December 7, 2025.
Guzmán, D. E., Rengifo, C. F., Guzmán, J. D., et al. (2024). Virtual reality games for cognitive rehabilitation of older adults: a review of adaptive games, domains and techniques. Virtual Reality, 28:92.
Hassan, L. (2024). Accessibility of games and game-based applications: A systematic literature review and mapping of future directions. New Media & Society, 26(4):2336–2384.
Herrera, V., Albusac, J., Castro-Schez, J. J., González-Morcillo, C., Monekosso, D. N., Pacheco, S., Perales, R., e de los Reyes-Guzmán, A. (2025). Creating adapted environments: enhancing accessibility in virtual reality for upper limb rehabilitation through automated element adjustment. Virtual Real., 29(1).
Huang, N., Goswami, P., Sundstedt, V., Hu, Y., e Cheddad, A. (2025). Personalized smart immersive xr environments: a systematic literature review: Personalized smart immersive xr environments: a systematic literature review. Vis. Comput., 41(11):8593–8626.
Krishna, V. B., Gupta, R., Kumar Pal, H., Raj, H., e Swarnim (2025). Web accessibility for the elderly. In Antona, M. e Stephanidis, C., editors, Universal Access in Human Computer Interaction, volume 15780 of Lecture Notes in Computer Science. Springer, Cham.
Microsoft (2023). Xbox game accessibility guidelines. Accessed: December 7, 2025.
Moher, D., Liberati, A., Tetzlaff, J., Altman, D. G., e Group, T. P. (2009). Preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses: The prisma statement. PLOS Medicine, 6(7):1–6.
Moradzadeh, S., Zhang, Z., Gui, X., et al. (2025). The state of video game research in computer-supported cooperative work – a systematic literature review. Computer Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW), 34:587–638.
Mortazavi, F., Moradi, H., e Vahabie, A. H. (2024). Dynamic difficulty adjustment approaches in video games: a systematic literature review. Multimedia Tools and Applications, 83:83227–83274.
Mota, V. F. e Duarte, E. F. (2025). 20 anos de acessibilidade no sbgames: Uma revisão sobre inclusão em jogos digitais entre 2004 e 2024. In Anais do XXIV Simpósio Brasileiro de Jogos e Entretenimento Digital.
Mota-Martínez, M. C. e Rechy-Ramirez, E. J. (2025). A scoping review on serious games as rehabilitation technologies for ankle rehabilitation: game genres, game accessibility, and game usability. Universal Access in the Information Society, 24:1037–1058.
Pereira, P., Borges, H., Matos, S., e Torrens, I. (2024). Desenvolvimento de um jogo educacional utilizando inteligência artificial para o ensino de pessoas com deficiências intelectuais sobre a cadeia produtiva de alimentos. In Anais do XXIII Simpósio Brasileiro de Jogos e Entretenimento Digital, pages 878–889, Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil. SBC.
Privitera, A. G., Fontana, F., e Geronazzo, M. (2025). The role of audio in immersive storytelling: a systematic review in cultural heritage. Multimedia Tools and Applications, 84:16105–16143.
Russell, S. J. e Norvig, P. (2020). Artificial Intelligence: A Modern Approach (4th Edition). Pearson.
Silva, D. F., Torchelsen, R. P., e Aguiar, M. S. (2025). Procedural game level generation with gans: potential, weaknesses, and unresolved challenges in the literature. Multimedia Tools and Applications, 84:34179–34205.
Silver, D., Hubert, T., Schrittwieser, J., Antonoglou, I., Lai, M., Guez, A., Lanctot, M., Sifre, L., Kumaran, D., Graepel, T., Lillicrap, T., Simonyan, K., e Hassabis, D. (2018). A general reinforcement learning algorithm that masters chess, shogi, and go through self-play. Science, 362(6419):1140–1144.
Spiel, K. e Gerling, K. (2021). The purpose of play: How hci games research fails neurodivergent populations. ACM Trans. Comput.-Hum. Interact., 28(2).
Wang, W., Khalajzadeh, H., Grundy, J., et al. (2024). Adaptive user interfaces in systems targeting chronic disease: a systematic literature review. User Modeling and User-Adapted Interaction, 34:853–920.
Yannakakis, G. N. e Togelius, J. (2025). Artificial Intelligence and Games. Springer Nature, second edition edition.
Aytemiz, B., Shu, X., Hu, E., e Smith, A. M. (2020). Your buddy, the grandmaster: repurposing the game-playing ai surplus for inclusivity. In Proceedings of the Sixteenth AAAI Conference on Artificial Intelligence and Interactive Digital Entertainment, AIIDE’20. AAAI Press.
Ayushi, Mishra, P., Ansari, A., e Maurya, D. (2025). Advancements in assistive technologies for web accessibility: A systematic review. In Emerging Trends in Computer Science and Its Application, pages 372–376. CRC Press.
Boubakri, M. e Nafil, K. (2025). Gamification solutions for persons with disabilities: a systematic literature review. Universal Access in the Information Society, 24:1009–1035.
Chemnad, K. e Othman, A. (2024). Digital accessibility in the era of artificial intelligence: Bibliometric analysis and systematic review. Frontiers in Artificial Intelligence, 7:1349668.
Cimolino, G., Askari, S., e Graham, T. N. (2021). The role of partial automation in increasing the accessibility of digital games. Proc. ACM Hum.-Comput. Interact., 5(CHI PLAY).
Dwyer, N., Harrison, M., O’Mara, B., e Harley, K. (2024). Inclusive gaming through ai: a perspective for identifying opportunities and obstacles through co-design with people living with mnd. Frontiers in Computer Science, 6.
Etxabe-Antia, A., Beitia-Amondarain, A., González de Heredia-López de Sabando, A., et al. (2025). Characterisation of accessibility guidelines for digital technologies. Universal Access in the Information Society, 24:2105–2125.
Game Accessibility Guidelines (2012). Game Accessibility Guidelines. Accessed: December 7, 2025.
Guzmán, D. E., Rengifo, C. F., Guzmán, J. D., et al. (2024). Virtual reality games for cognitive rehabilitation of older adults: a review of adaptive games, domains and techniques. Virtual Reality, 28:92.
Hassan, L. (2024). Accessibility of games and game-based applications: A systematic literature review and mapping of future directions. New Media & Society, 26(4):2336–2384.
Herrera, V., Albusac, J., Castro-Schez, J. J., González-Morcillo, C., Monekosso, D. N., Pacheco, S., Perales, R., e de los Reyes-Guzmán, A. (2025). Creating adapted environments: enhancing accessibility in virtual reality for upper limb rehabilitation through automated element adjustment. Virtual Real., 29(1).
Huang, N., Goswami, P., Sundstedt, V., Hu, Y., e Cheddad, A. (2025). Personalized smart immersive xr environments: a systematic literature review: Personalized smart immersive xr environments: a systematic literature review. Vis. Comput., 41(11):8593–8626.
Krishna, V. B., Gupta, R., Kumar Pal, H., Raj, H., e Swarnim (2025). Web accessibility for the elderly. In Antona, M. e Stephanidis, C., editors, Universal Access in Human Computer Interaction, volume 15780 of Lecture Notes in Computer Science. Springer, Cham.
Microsoft (2023). Xbox game accessibility guidelines. Accessed: December 7, 2025.
Moher, D., Liberati, A., Tetzlaff, J., Altman, D. G., e Group, T. P. (2009). Preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses: The prisma statement. PLOS Medicine, 6(7):1–6.
Moradzadeh, S., Zhang, Z., Gui, X., et al. (2025). The state of video game research in computer-supported cooperative work – a systematic literature review. Computer Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW), 34:587–638.
Mortazavi, F., Moradi, H., e Vahabie, A. H. (2024). Dynamic difficulty adjustment approaches in video games: a systematic literature review. Multimedia Tools and Applications, 83:83227–83274.
Mota, V. F. e Duarte, E. F. (2025). 20 anos de acessibilidade no sbgames: Uma revisão sobre inclusão em jogos digitais entre 2004 e 2024. In Anais do XXIV Simpósio Brasileiro de Jogos e Entretenimento Digital.
Mota-Martínez, M. C. e Rechy-Ramirez, E. J. (2025). A scoping review on serious games as rehabilitation technologies for ankle rehabilitation: game genres, game accessibility, and game usability. Universal Access in the Information Society, 24:1037–1058.
Pereira, P., Borges, H., Matos, S., e Torrens, I. (2024). Desenvolvimento de um jogo educacional utilizando inteligência artificial para o ensino de pessoas com deficiências intelectuais sobre a cadeia produtiva de alimentos. In Anais do XXIII Simpósio Brasileiro de Jogos e Entretenimento Digital, pages 878–889, Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil. SBC.
Privitera, A. G., Fontana, F., e Geronazzo, M. (2025). The role of audio in immersive storytelling: a systematic review in cultural heritage. Multimedia Tools and Applications, 84:16105–16143.
Russell, S. J. e Norvig, P. (2020). Artificial Intelligence: A Modern Approach (4th Edition). Pearson.
Silva, D. F., Torchelsen, R. P., e Aguiar, M. S. (2025). Procedural game level generation with gans: potential, weaknesses, and unresolved challenges in the literature. Multimedia Tools and Applications, 84:34179–34205.
Silver, D., Hubert, T., Schrittwieser, J., Antonoglou, I., Lai, M., Guez, A., Lanctot, M., Sifre, L., Kumaran, D., Graepel, T., Lillicrap, T., Simonyan, K., e Hassabis, D. (2018). A general reinforcement learning algorithm that masters chess, shogi, and go through self-play. Science, 362(6419):1140–1144.
Spiel, K. e Gerling, K. (2021). The purpose of play: How hci games research fails neurodivergent populations. ACM Trans. Comput.-Hum. Interact., 28(2).
Wang, W., Khalajzadeh, H., Grundy, J., et al. (2024). Adaptive user interfaces in systems targeting chronic disease: a systematic literature review. User Modeling and User-Adapted Interaction, 34:853–920.
Yannakakis, G. N. e Togelius, J. (2025). Artificial Intelligence and Games. Springer Nature, second edition edition.
Publicado
29/09/2026
Como Citar
MARCOS, Wanessa; ALVES, Hiago; SANTOS, Heitor H. dos; OLIVEIRA, Pedro A. de; DUARTE, Emanuel Felipe; MOTA, Virginia Fernandes.
AI for Inclusion: A Systematic Review on Artificial Intelligence for Accessibility in Digital Games. In: TRILHA DE ARTES & DESIGN – ARTIGOS CURTOS - SIMPÓSIO BRASILEIRO DE JOGOS E ENTRETENIMENTO DIGITAL (SBGAMES), 25. , 2026, Goiânia/GO.
Anais [...].
Porto Alegre: Sociedade Brasileira de Computação,
2026
.
p. 33-39.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5753/sbgames_estendido.2026.25587.
