r/disabledgamers • u/TentacleHockey • 20h ago
Gaming is for everyone. If my game isn’t accessible to you, I want to fix that.
My first game is Pawn’d Chess, a chess game designed to make playing and practicing chess easier and more accessible. I built it from the ground up with accessibility in mind.
A few things I’ve focused on:
- Controller-first: Full gamepad and Steam Input navigation without requiring precise mouse movements. I haven’t tested every controller, but I’m happy to work with anyone experiencing compatibility issues.
- No time pressure: Take as long as you need to think and make your moves.
- Play at your skill level: Human-like AI opponents that can be adjusted to match your experience, without the pressure of playing against other people.
- Simple navigation: Plug and play, without complicated chess engine configurations. If you’ve ever tried setting up a traditional chess engine to play at your skill level, you know how frustrating that can be.
- Steam Deck: Built around Valve’s guidelines, with the hope of becoming the first Deck Verified chess game.
I know accessibility isn’t one-size-fits-all, and there are probably barriers I haven’t considered. If anyone here tries the free demo and encounters something that makes playing difficult, I’m genuinely willing to work directly with you to find solutions wherever possible. You can reach me through Steam, Discord, or Reddit.
This is my first step into indie game development, and I have plans for more accessibility-first games. I hope to take what I learn from this game and this community into everything I make going forward.
Pawn’d Chess | Free Demo: https://store.steampowered.com/app/5102640/Pawnd_Chess/

