Where Are the Wheelchairs in Video Games?

It’s 2024, and we’re still asking this question: where are the wheelchairs in video games? Games like The Sims, Animal Crossing, and basically any game that offers customization should already be providing the option to put your character in a wheelchair. It’s ridiculous that modders are the ones stepping up, while the big developers seem to be snoozing on the job. I recently wrote a piece about this concern in sims. Check it out.

Let’s break this down. We’re talking about games with huge customization options—games that let you change your character’s hair color, outfits, accessories, heck, even give them magical powers. But where’s the wheelchair? How hard can it be to add a basic feature like this, especially when indie games have already figured it out? Some indie developers, with smaller budgets and teams, are doing more for accessibility than the massive studios, who should have the resources and responsibility to get this right. Here’s a great list of characters in wheelchairs. BUT we need MORE customization with the option to have wheelchairs in character creation games.

Renja character in wheelchair from ghostopia

It’s not like this is some massive technical challenge anymore. Developers can make dragons fly, they can make entire worlds collapse and rebuild at the press of a button, but a wheelchair? Nah, that’s apparently asking too much. We’re living in an era where games can replicate entire planets, but giving players the option to roll around in a wheelchair is somehow too complex? Come on.

Meanwhile, modders are out here saving the day. They’re the ones putting in the time and effort to add wheelchairs where developers have failed. It’s the players who should be applauded, not the companies making millions while ignoring something as important as accessibility. If a modder can figure it out, why can’t the people behind games like The Sims or Animal Crossing? Modders aren’t paid professionals working on multimillion-dollar projects, yet they’ve shown it’s possible to do. What’s the excuse for these big studios?

Animal Crossing. Sure, there’s a wheelchair, but let’s be real—it’s just a house decoration. You can sit in it, but it’s stationary. You have to get up and walk to experience the game. That’s not inclusive, it feels lazy and tokenizing. Who thought that was a good idea? It’s like saying, “Here’s a wheelchair for your character, but, oh wait, you can’t actually use it. Have fun walking everywhere!” It completely misses the point. Representation should mean more than throwing in a random object that doesn’t function as it should.

By now, it should be standard. Game developers need to stop treating accessibility like an afterthought. Wheelchair customization is a basic feature, and there’s no reason it shouldn’t be available in every game with character customization. It’s not just about adding options for the sake of it, it’s about recognizing that players with disabilities exist and deserve to see themselves represented in the games they love. Gaming is for everyone, so why does it feel like these developers are leaving people behind?

It’s 2024. Time to step up.