MLB 11: The Show to Feature One-Button Mode

{sidebar id=1}Sony’s San Diego studio, the creators of “MLB The Show” franchise, is making one of the boldest moves for accessibility in mainstream game to date.  The studio has created a new mode called the “Association for Disabled Virtual Athletes.”  This new mode allows players to either pitch or hit using only one button while the computer handles fielding the balls automatically.  The mode is considered a difficulty level and still allows for the gamer to go through the entire game, including full seasons.

Hans Smith, a disabled gamer with cerebral palsy, inspired the studio to create the mode after his incredibly powerful and heartfelt letter he sent to the developers touched them so much that they included him in the 2010 title MLB 10: The show.  Smith himself created the Association the mode is named after to organize gamers with disabilities who will never get the chance to play sports in real life but still have the passion of today's biggest stars.

"I can't physically play baseball, a game I am fanatic about," Smith tells ESPN. "…I love baseball video games. To some people, these are just games. But that's because at any time, they can turn off the console and go out to a ballpark and play baseball in the physical world. I can't do that.”

Smith exemplifies what the true AbleGamer spirit is all about. Never give up your passion just because your body doesn't do what you want it to do.

Now Smith is no ordinary fan, he is the quintessential embodiment of fanatic.  He wears the correct clothing depending on where his beloved St. Louis Cardinals are playing that day.  When he plays the game he does it one game at a time, just like you would in real life. Not only that but he actually took off four weeks from playing the game in real life when his virtual representation was injured.

Smith told ESPN:

"My player actually got injured in April and I had to sit out four weeks. People kept asking me why I didn't just simulate forward into the year when I could pitch again, but they just didn't get it. You can't just simulate your life. I didn't play for four weeks. What I would do is let the computer play against the computer, so I could still watch the games just like you would in real life, I just wasn't pitching. I feel like I've been given a blessing to play baseball, and I just wanted to make it as realistic as possible."

MLB 11: The Show releases March 8, 2011, and will include the one-button mode on the PlayStation 3.

You don't have to be quite the same level of fanatic as Hans in order to enjoy this game. If you have been looking for a one-switch game of baseball this is your chance.  But if baseball isn't your thing, you can always try My Golf Game the one-switch golf game.

It is quite awe-inspiring to see developers finally beginning to include difficulty levels for those who need extreme accessibility. One can only hope that as time goes on more of these accessibility options will be included in increasingly more games and make our choice for Accessible Mainstream Game of the Year very difficult in the coming years.

Stay tuned for the AbleGamers interview with the developers of the game.

 Source: ESPN