Around 50 million aspiring video gamers from all over the world feel they have been held back from entering the world of gaming – due to a visual impairment, data has predicted. Award-winning first-person shooter games, such as Counterstrike and Call of Duty, have typically been inaccessible to the visually-impaired community, despite the huge popularity of these kinds of games. But now, non-profit organisation Ablegamers has teamed up with JBL in a bid to rectify this – by developing a new cutting-edge, one-of-a-kind software, allowing the visually-impaired community to explore the world of first-person shooter games through sound. The technology has been in development for over a year, and uses machine learning algorithms and advanced AI to create audio cues from in-game obstacles and structures. In a similar way to how dolphins and bats use echolocation to understand their surroundings, the new software gives gamers a heightened awareness of their in-game environment through the use of Spatial Audio technology and advanced head tracking. JBL's Quantum Guide Play can now be used with any headset to survey and track their way through a game – and is available for free, to help make gaming more inclusive. Grace Koh, of JBL’s parent company, Harman, said: “We recognise the immense potential of gaming to bring people together, and provide immersive experiences for players of all abilities. “We are creating a platform that enriches the gaming experience for everyone, transcending limitations and building a more inclusive gaming community. “This is just a first step towards accessibility in first-person shooter games. We are making it open-source, and hoping that brands and developers can adopt it for their games, and even contribute to its improvement.” Paralympic athlete and visually-impaired gamer, Sophie Soon, who has used the software, said: “I believe gaming is now a real possibility for me.” And Josh Tseng, a digital accessibility specialist and visually-impaired gamer, added: “It feels really nice to be included in a multiplayer game like this.” JBL Quantum Guide Play has been in development for more than a year, working with Ablegamers and others in the community to better improve accessibility. Available to download for free now as an open-source tool, VI gamers are being asked to share their feedback to help further enhancements of the technology. People with 0% vision are recommended to seek assistance in setting up the program, and while using it for the first time.