Gaming with your head: Dennis Winkens presented inclusive computer gaming at the 2nd ZAB - Forum Accessability

Dennis Winkens, better known as WheelyWorld on Twitch, is paraplegic from the neck down and supports other gamers with similar disabilities. He controls his computer, his games and everything else that goes with it exclusively with his mouth. As an ambassador for limitless gaming, he is committed to inclusion both within and beyond the gaming world.

In an engaging talk, Dennis Winkens made it clear that disabilities are given virtually no consideration in the field of console and computer games, and that inclusion hardly plays a role in most games. Characters and plots in game worlds usually conform to certain stereotypes or exhibit predictable characteristics. People with disabilities are almost completely overlooked by the games industry.

It became particularly fascinating when Dennis explained to us how the QuadStick works and what it can do, and demonstrated the settings in games that can enable a barrier-free gaming experience. With the QuadStick, he controls by mouth movements alone and can thus use all functions that are normally controlled with the buttons of a gaming controller.

The highlight of the event was the joint gaming: the audience had the opportunity to play against Dennis and compete in a contest.