Assassin’s Creed accessibility lead says awards losses still signal progress for inclusivity

Ubisoft’s Jonathan Bedard says accessibility innovation matters more than trophies after Game Awards loss

Losing an industry award does not always feel like defeat, according to Jonathan Bedard, director of user experience on Assassin’s Creed Shadows.

Speaking after the 2025 Game Awards, where the title was nominated for Best Accessibility but lost to Doom: The Dark Ages, Bedard said recognition for accessibility work reflects shared progress across the industry.

“It’s one of those disciplines where we don’t mind if somebody beats us,” Bedard told Polygon. “When someone wins, we all win.”

Bedard has worked at Ubisoft since 2010 and has contributed to accessibility features across several projects, including Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, Immortals Fenyx Rising and now Assassin’s Creed Shadows.

He said the studio’s approach centres on integrating accessibility into development from the outset rather than treating it as a late-stage addition.

“It comes down to being inclusive,” Bedard said. “I wanted to create worlds and games where everyone feels welcome, and is able to play their way.”

Assassin’s Creed: Shadows marked a significant technical transition for the franchise as the first entry designed exclusively for current-generation hardware.

That shift allowed the team to revisit core systems, including the user interface, and design features that could be shared across future Ubisoft projects.

“When we started Shadows, we were due on many levels to do a refactor,” Bedard said, explaining that early planning made it easier to address barriers identified through player workshops and feedback.

One example involved the game’s world map, which allows players to filter specific locations. Bedard said the feature was inspired by discussions with a legally blind player who wanted clearer map navigation.

“Accessibility often takes the form of features. However, there’s such a thing as accessible design,” he said.

Shadows includes options such as remapped controls, descriptive subtitles, screen reader support and auto-described cinematics. Bedard noted that this foundation also eased development for the game’s Nintendo Switch 2 release, where additional touchscreen interactions were explored.

For Bedard, accessibility extends beyond disability. “Sometimes we think of accessibility in terms of handicaps. It’s not always that,” he said, citing everyday situations such as playing one-handed or relying on subtitles in shared spaces.

He added that seeing other studios advance accessibility is motivating rather than discouraging. “Together, we win,” Bedard said, describing the collaborative nature of progress in game design.