Perceptions Required of Sighted People to Enjoy Video Games with Blind People: Toward the Realization of a Symbiotic Society

Abstract

　In this paper, we discuss the recognition that is required of sighted people in order to enjoy playing video games with blind people in order to contribute to the realization of a symbiotic society, through a practice using the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES). Even the teachers who belong to a school for the blind, who are sighted people, were hardly aware of the connection between blind people and video games. However, the experience of playing video games with blind people greatly changed their perception. In addition, the fact that blind people were able to play Super Street Fighter II The New Challengers, a fighting genre, led them to expect that they would be able to play other genres in which intense game play is expected. Therefore, in order for sighted people to enjoy playing video games with blind people, it is necessary for the sighted people to recognize that even blind people can play video games without preconceived notions.