First launch should surface accessibility options

What it is

First launch is the only "blank slate" moment between player and game—no default experience has formed yet, and adjustment costs the least. A first-launch accessibility prompt announces at this moment that accessibility options exist ("This game offers subtitles, colour-blind modes, time adjustments—would you like to look?"), placing discovery before the first barrier appears. Players who skip are unaffected; players who need it never have to dig through settings while stuck.

Why it happens

First launch's value comes from matching configuration timing to need timing (the same logic as motion options' discoverability, but covering all accessibility). Discovering the need for support after the game starts runs an inefficient path: hit a barrier under defaults (unreadable subtitles, uncatchable reflex checks) → realise adjustment is needed → search settings → learn option meanings → adjust → return and verify. Every step risks drop-off, and frustration has already landed at step one. The first-launch prompt compresses the chain into "see the options list → configure directly → start properly equipped." Form design balances effect against intrusion: a full setup wizard (asking item by item) is thorough but long, while light notification (one screen stating options exist + a direct entry) respects players who don't want configuration. Asking specific needs ("Do you need larger subtitles?") converts better than listing features ("This game offers the following accessibility options")—specific questions let people self-identify.

Where it stops holding

First-launch prompting is not a forced flow: the prompt must be skippable (one skip skips all, no step-by-step nagging), and skippers retain full configuration ability in settings. Content needs filtering—stuffing dozens of settings into the first-run flow annoys everyone (most players only want subtitles and brightness), so focus on three to five high-impact needs (vision, hearing, time), pointing the complete list to the central hub. Repeat-prompt handling matters: skipped players are not asked again (remember the choice), though a one-time announcement when a major new accessibility feature ships is reasonable. Cross-platform consistency: the prompt's position and content should match across platforms (console, PC, mobile), avoiding "asked here, not there" configuration gaps. The prompt's own copy and visuals must be accessible (large-text options, screen-reader compatibility, high contrast)—an accessibility prompt that is itself inaccessible is the most ironic failure possible.

Applying it

• Add an accessibility page at the end of first launch: three to five rapid questions on high-impact needs (larger subtitles? colour-vision difference? relaxed timing?), each directly configuring its option group, skippable throughout.
• Keep full configuration in the settings hub for those who skip or finish, plus one-time contextual supplements in game (motion-sickness options when first entering an intense-movement scene).
• Verification: track the prompt's view rate, skip rate, and per-question configuration conversion. Conversion markedly higher than the same options' adjustment rate inside settings proves the first-launch prompt is effectively capturing needs.

Related

• Same group: W8.08.1 Accessibility settings need one centralised hub, not scattered menus · W8.08.3 Setting names should describe effects, not jargon · W8.08.4 Buried options make players believe the game lacks support
• Nearby: I1.01 Session length and entry cost · W8.08 Discoverability of accessibility settings · W8.07 Comfort options
• Search terms: first run experience · accessibility onboarding · setup wizard · first launch