Mattel's Commitment to Accessibility: Making Games Like Uno Colourblind-Friendly
In an exciting move towards inclusivity, Mattel has pledged to make 80% of its games accessible for colourblind players by the end of 2024, with a goal of reaching 90% by 2025.
Blokus, Tumblin’ Monkeys, and Uno are among the games that Mattel is adapting to be colourblind-friendly. Image: Mattel
This initiative means popular games such as Blokus, Tumblin’ Monkeys, and Uno will be easier to play for those with colour vision deficiency. For instance, Uno cards will now feature simple symbols to distinguish the four colours: circles for red, squares for blue, triangles for green, and stars for yellow. Similarly, Blokus will have unique 3D patterns on its tiles, and games like Tumblin’ Monkeys and KerPlunk will have enhanced 3D details on the sticks to aid colour distinction.
In addition to physical games, Mattel will update the mobile versions of their card games—Uno! Mobile, Phase 10 Mobile, and Skip-Bo Mobile—with the new colourblind-friendly symbols. This digital expansion ensures that accessibility isn't confined to the physical realm.
Mattel's colourblind-accessible games will feature a new badge on their packaging. Image: Mattel
Mattel has a history of enhancing game accessibility. In 2019, they partnered with the National Federation of the Blind to release a braille version of Uno, enabling blind and low-vision players to enjoy the game. In 2017, Mattel collaborated with ColorADD to integrate a unique colour-identifying code into Uno cards. Their current initiative builds on these efforts, simplifying the approach for easier recognition.
The first wave of these accessible games, including Uno Flex, Uno All Wild, Uno Minimalista, and Dos, hit the market in March. Updated versions of Blokus, Phase 10, Skip-Bo, and KerPlunk are also expected by the end of the year.
Mattel’s dedication to creating more inclusive play experiences is a significant step forward, widening the range of people with various vision conditions who can enjoy their favourite games.
