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Audio games originally started out as 'blind accessible'-games and were developed mostly by Amateur s and Blind Programmer s. But more and more people are showing interest in audio games, ranging from sound artists, Game Accessibility Researchers , mobile Game Developers and mainstream Videogamers . Most audio games run on a Computer platform, although there are a few audiogames for handhelds and Video Game Console s. Audio games feature the same variety of genres as videogames, such as Adventure Game s, Racing Game s, etc. AUDIO GAME HISTORY Before Graphical Operating System s like Windows , most Home Computer s used DOS or another text-based operating system. Being text-based meant that they were equally accessible for users with and without a visual impairment. This also meant that games such as Text Adventure s were also equally accessible. However, computers became more powerful resulting in more visually enriched games. This caused a huge gap between the video games for the seeing and games for the blind—a gap that is actually growing. While seeing gamers venture into 3D gaming worlds such as '' Myst '' and '' Final Fantasy '', blind gamers are forced to play more mundane games such as '' Blackjack '', '' Battleship '' or '' Memory ''. But as videogames started to flourish, several amateur Game Designer s started making videogames accessible for the blind by adding sound. Soon they started developing their own games, not so much based on existing game ideas but based on the possibilties of sound. CURRENT STATE OF THE MARKET Most audio games are now developed by several small companies (consisting of only a team of 1 to 4 people). The main audience is still mostly visually impaired users. But commercial interest is growing steadly. In ''. It was released on the Sega Saturn and Dreamcast and it featured no visuals at all, just sound. Methods of the game have found their way into games like '' D2 '' and '' Enemy Zero '' to enhance gameplay. Audio games are also very interesting for the mobile gaming market since no screen is needed. Artist s and Student s are already experimenting wildly with audiogames to explore the possibilities and limitations of audio games. The game market is gradually taking more notice into audiogames as well because of the issue of Game Accessibility . No longer can audio games be considered to be 'just' games for the blind. They're games 'for the hearing'. Up until now, game challenges have been presented using Dice , Card s, boards, balls, a computer monitor, etc. Audio games expand this range with presenting a challenge in sound. SEE ALSO EXTERNAL LINKS
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