04
Apr

SpecialEffect, the UK-based gaming charity, to be honored during the 20th BAFTA Games Awards

Recently, it was revealed that the UK-based charity SpecialEffect will receive a Special Award at this year’s BAFTAs. The 20th edition of the BAFTA Games will take place on 11th April, where the award will be given to Dr Mick Donegan MBE, founder and CEO of SpecialEffect. 

As the name implies, BAFTA created the Special Award to recognize outstanding contributions to games, films, and TV. While you might assume that can only go to developers in the gaming realm, SpecialEffect has worked tirelessly to make the hobby more accessible to people with physical disabilities. A noble cause indeed and a very deserving recipient of the award if you ask me.

SpecialEffect is a worthy BAFTA winner

Mick Donegan founded the charity in 2007, intending to help those with even the most severe physical challenges to enjoy the wonders of video games. It’s fair to say they’ve taken great strides in doing that, alongside collaborating with some big names along the way. 

The team has worked with the likes of Xbox, Sony, and Logitech to create controllers that allow disabled people to play games they otherwise couldn’t. Similarly, they have collaborated with game developers to help them include settings that make their games more accessible, allowing a wider audience to enjoy them. 

EyeGaze comes to mobile later this year

SpecialEffect’s latest endeavor is EyeGaze Games, which was created in partnership with Sun and Moon Studios and Moon Interactive. At present, it’s a website that provides free and accessible games that everyone can enjoy on the same level. That means whether they want to use gaze control, switches, or a gamepad. However, later this year, it will also release for iOS and Android as an app.

If you fancy tuning into the 20th annual BAFTA Games Awards, the event will be livestreamed. You can watch it on YouTube, Twitch, and Twitter (X). It will take place in Queen Elizabeth Hall in Southbank, London.

Thank you for reading this article. For more interesting coverage of all things indie games, be sure to check out the links below.

This Article was written by: Stephen Gregson-Wood