“I feel like I have done something that matters, like I have literally changed the world.”
BRANDON COLE, ACCESSIBILITY CONSULTANT, AQUENT GAMES
Columbus, OH, based, Brandon Cole, lost his vision when he was only two months old. He was always interested in toys or games that could talk or make sounds because he could still interact with them, even if he was blind. As time went by he started to “mess around” with video games. He discovered that he could learn sound effects and patterns and had some success playing the games. He says that when he approached game developers about making games blind-accessible, they laughed at him. But he didn’t give up and is now an Accessibility Consultant for Aquent Games, working with video game developers like Naughty Dog Studios to make gaming more accessible for the visually impaired and blind. Brandon also has Twitch and YouTube channels where he streams himself playing video games and interacting with followers. He says he makes the videos to educate other gamers that are sighted or blind, and don't know what they can do with the game systems. Brandon has left his mark on the gaming industry by giving more people a chance to play.
