Aion Temporarily Disables GameGuard : AbleGamers Cheers!

{sidebar id=3}{sidebar id=1}As you know, GameGuard has been an extremely hot topic around the gaming community but in particular the disabled community.  GameGuard disables many third-party software applications including Ventrilo, Team speak, iTunes, and many gaming keyboards and mice.  In addition, GameGuard disables assistive technology such as voice recognition programs, on-screen keyboards, and one-switch devices.

As of early yesterday evening, the following was updated on Aion's official site:

After analyzing our open beta test results Aion will not feature GameGuard at launch. We will however continue to pursue ways to effectively utilize GameGuard within Aion in the future. Right now, we're focused on providing players with the best possible Aion experience.

This is indeed a temporary victory in the name of all gamers but particularly for disabled gamers.  We will reveal our official review within the next few days.  However, we can comfortably say without GameGuard Aion will be relatively accessibility friendly.

For those of you who are following our GameGuard Shuts Down Disabled Gamers article; we cannot say whether the article had a powerful impact upon the decision made yesterday.  What we can say is that multiple people from Aion, GameGuard, and several news sources have contacted us multiple times since the time of that publication.

GameGuard in particular is "very interested in opening a dialogue to help determine what programs disabled gamers use."  The overseas manager has e-mailed us requesting a closer connection to help them improve their software.  Although, GameGuard's way of protecting a game is completely foreign to the Western way of life, it is a step in the right direction to inform them of our most important pieces of assistive technology.

The goal of AbleGamers is to make games more accessible in every way, shape and form.  Therefore, we are thrilled to embrace the contacts of both NCSoft and INCA for the betterment of future gaming.  We will keep you updated as to our progress as it happens.

One word of warning, the above paragraph specifically states that they fully intend to re-implement GameGuard as soon as the "bugs" are removed.  The only reason they are removing this is due to the public outcry; bravo everyone for helping make the cry loud enough that they actually listened to us.

However, do not rest easy, if we do not convince the people at GameGuard to allow software such as on-screen keyboards and voice recognition programs, as well as hardware such as switch setups and assistive technology, the temporary removal of GameGuard will only serve as a cruel tease.

Once we are comfortably set up in Aion, it would be an utter shame for GameGuard to be reintroduced, virtually severing the lines of communication for the disabled.  Let us hope that our feedback will be enough to get our most precious assistive technology onto their so-called "white list."

If you, or someone you love, needs assistive technology and you know for sure that GameGuard blocks that particular software; please e-mail us through the contact us link above with details on what technology cannot work under the current default GameGuard settings.  We will be passing along a compilation of this information to GameGuard directly.

Your feedback helps; together we will make a difference.