Diablo IV accessibility features

Feature check at a glance

Of the ten features we track, the official information for Diablo IV documents 6 in full and 2 in part.

• SubtitlesYes
• Subtitle size optionsYes
• Colour-blind modesPartly
• Full control remappingYes
• Hold-to-toggle optionsYes
• Difficulty and assist optionsNot stated
• Audio cues for navigationYes
• Text-to-speech or menu narrationYes
• Motion and camera-shake reductionNot stated
• High-contrast modePartly

Notes on each feature

• Subtitles: Cinematic subtitles on by default.
• Subtitle size options: Adjustable font colour, scaling and background opacity.
• Colour-blind modes: Colour-coded highlighting of players, enemies, objects and NPCs; colour-blind filters not described in Blizzard's articles.
• Full control remapping: All inputs remappable on keyboard and mouse or controller; sticks can be swapped.
• Hold-to-toggle options: Skill toggle and action wheel activation turn hold-to-cast into toggles.
• Difficulty and assist options: Not covered in the accessibility articles we checked.
• Audio cues for navigation: Gear drop cues by rarity; audio navigation pings added with Vessel of Hatred.
• Text-to-speech or menu narration: Built-in screen reader plus support for JAWS and NVDA; speech-to-text for chat.
• Motion and camera-shake reduction: Not covered in the accessibility articles we checked.
• High-contrast mode: Player and item highlighting outlines; no separate high contrast mode described.

A built-in screen reader that also works with JAWS and NVDA

Diablo IV is a loot-heavy game with a lot of text, so narration matters. Blizzard describes a built-in screen reader with adjustable volume, speed and voice, and support for third-party screen readers including JAWS and NVDA on PC. Font and cursor size can be set to small, medium or large.

Gear audio cues play when items drop, with different sounds by rarity, and you can choose which rarities trigger a cue so the important drops are not lost among common ones. Player and item highlighting adds colour-coded outlines to players, enemies, objects and NPCs. Blizzard's articles do not describe a dedicated colour blindness filter or a separate high contrast mode, so we have marked those as partial.

Speech to Text, introduced as part of the launch features, transcribes voice input for in-game chat using the device's microphone, so players who find typing difficult can still message their party. Because the game is built around a constant stream of item drops and comparisons, narration of item text is a central feature rather than an extra; in our editorial view, a game this text-heavy would be very hard to play by ear without it.

Audio navigation added with Vessel of Hatred

Blizzard's article on the Vessel of Hatred expansion describes three features designed with the blind and low-vision community. Auto-Pin places a map pin on the destination of the quest selected in the Journal, with mini-map route guidance. Audio Navigation Assistance plays spatial audio pings that point towards the pin, with adjustable volume and ping interval. A Compass circles the player on the HUD and points at the pin, with a customisable arrow colour.

Together these make it possible to follow quests without reading the map. Our vision guide covers how spatial audio cues like these compare with traditional narration.

Blizzard's lead accessibility designer, Drew McCrory, is quoted in the launch article explaining the team's aim that interest, not capability, should be the only limit on playing.

Toggles, stick swaps and target lock for long sessions

All inputs can be remapped, whether you play with keyboard and mouse or a controller. Skill Toggle and Action Wheel Activation turn hold-to-cast mechanics into toggles, which reduces the strain of holding a button for long periods. Swap Left and Right Sticks supports one-handed play, and Persist Target Lock keeps your focus on the intended enemy in a busy fight.

Cinematic subtitles are on by default, with adjustable colour, scale and background opacity, and a speech-to-text system transcribes voice input for chat. Blizzard's accessibility articles do not cover difficulty settings or camera and screen-effect options, so those are marked unknown here. The PEGI 18 rating, for extreme violence, applies regardless of settings.

Because Diablo IV supports both keyboard and mouse and controllers, a PC player can mix the two, for example using a mouse for targeting and a small number of remapped keys for skills. Our Windows gaming guide explains the operating-system settings that sit underneath.

Setting up Diablo IV for screen reader users and switch players

On PC, Diablo IV's support for JAWS and NVDA means a blind player can keep the screen reader they already use. On consoles, the built-in screen reader provides narration, with adjustable volume, speed and voice. Combine it with gear audio cues set to the rarities the player cares about, and the Vessel of Hatred navigation features (Auto-Pin, audio pings and the compass) for questing.

For players who use fewer inputs, skill toggles and the action wheel reduce the number of buttons needed at once, and Swap Left and Right Sticks moves movement and aiming to whichever side is more comfortable. Because all inputs can be remapped, Diablo IV can be paired with an adaptive controller or switches; see our Xbox Adaptive Controller guide for one way to build a layout.

Diablo IV includes in-game purchases, according to the PEGI descriptors on the PlayStation Store listing. In our editorial view, its long sessions make the toggle options more important than they would be in a shorter game.