Easterseals launches ES Gaming
ES Gaming logo
A new esports gaming network is coming to the Midwest with the intention of creating an inclusive, accessible community.
Easterseals Midwest, which includes Illinois, Kansas and Missouri, along with its seven other affiliates, have launched ES Gaming to set a new standard for inclusion and access to the esports gaming world for disabled gamers.
Easterseals Midwest is a nonprofit organization focused on working toward equity, inclusion and access by providing various resources to families and individuals with disabilities.
“ES Gaming will not only introduce more people with disabilities to esports and gaming but also introduce more people already in the esports community to disabled gamers,” Wendy Sullivan, CEO of Easterseals Midwest, said in a news release.
According to a study conducted by Newzoo, which is a leader in video games and gamer data, over 30 percent of all gamers have a disability. To help ensure ES Gaming is inclusive to all gamers, specifically ones who identify as having a disability, Easterseals has reached out to current gamers to get their input.
“We’ve started to reach out to different gamers who have different abilities,” Rachel Sinclair, Committee Lead for Marketing and Activations, said. “We want to hear their voices. We want to reach out to gaming influencers who are disabled. We want to reach out to those who are in our own communities and networks.”
Input from these gamers will be applied to future events hosted by ES Gaming, which includes streamathons with gamers from across the Midwest. These streamathons will be hosted on Twitch, a live video streaming platform focused on video games. Members of ES Gaming will be able to join events and social networks to play a variety of video games and communicate with an inclusive and safe community with other gamers who identify as having a disability.
ES Gaming’s first stream was held at the beginning of December as a kickoff event and fundraiser. Upcoming streams will focus on collegiate esports teams and what accessibility is like in college atmospheres. According to the schedule on its Twitch account, game4access, there are weekly streams for members to participate in as well as larger events planned for the future.
To join ES Gaming or partner with the organization for an event, visit esgaming.gg.
For information on how to join and upcoming events, visit ES Gaming’s website and social media platforms.
