World of Warcraft enhances gameplay with accessibility updates
Forgot password
Enter the email address you used when you joined and we'll send you instructions to reset your password.
If you used Apple or Google to create your account, this process will create a password for your existing account.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Reset password instructions sent. If you have an account with us, you will receive an email within a few minutes.
Something went wrong. Try again or contact support if the problem persists.
Screenshot of a World of Warcraft character with a text bubble above them.
Image provided by Blizzard Entertainment
Category:
News
General

World of Warcraft enhances gameplay with accessibility updates

Several new accessibility updates can be activated in the game.
Image of Amy Chen
Amy Chen
|

Published: Jun 29, 2021 07:35 pm

World of Warcraft enhanced its gameplay with accessibility updates in the latest Shadowlands 9.1 Chains of Domination patch.

Recommended Videos

The new accessibility options are located in the interface panel within the game menu.

Interface panel. | Provided by Blizzard Entertainment

Transcribe Voice Chat feature

In addition to the Colorblind Mode settings, one of the other updates include the Transcribe Voice Chat feature. It turns verbal communications into text.

Once activated, an icon will appear in the Chat Channels panel next to the Voice Chat icon. When players click on the icon, it will let them toggle the transcription feature on and off. Players can then read conversations at their own pace.

Text Chat Narration feature

World of Warcraft players can also use the Text Chat Narration feature, which turns text into speech. A synthetic voice will narrate typed words. In addition, players can choose the specific types of messages they would like to become text-to-speech in the Text-to-Speech Chat Config menu.

World of Warcraft enhances gameplay with accessibility updates
The Text To Speech Config menu. | Provided by Blizzard Entertainment

“In addition to the Text-to-Speech Chat Config menu, every setting has been given a custom /chat command to ensure that enabling and customizing this feature is accessible to all,” Blizzard explained in the announcement.

This means if World of Warcraft players use /chat commands, then their new settings will be read out loud to help confirm if the command was successful.

Speak for Me feature and more

Next, the Speak for Me feature reads typed text out loud to players. Those who are in a voice channel and have this feature activated get access to a new voice tab. According to the announcement, this feature uses a synthetic voice and is available on English clients.

World of Warcraft players can also activate Quest Text Contrast to improve the readability of quest text. The setting creates a solid-colored background to achieve this.

As for reflected lighting, the Specular Lighting Control allows users to change it. Players must type /console specular in the chat to make this command work. The point multipliers are between 0.0 and 1.0. Meanwhile, multiplier 0.5 partially allows the specular effect.

Blizzard noted that this update is only the beginning of its focus on accessibility, and World of Warcraft players can look forward to future improvements on this front.

related content
Author
Image of Amy Chen
Amy Chen
Amy Chen is an esports journalist and enthusiast who specializes in in-depth interviews and breaking news. A University of Toronto and Humber College graduate, she is passionate about building up the Canadian esports industry. Her current favorite games are Hearthstone and Heroes of the Storm, and she has always had a soft spot for World of Warcraft!
twitter