Until fairly recently in their history, video games were considered a bit of a niche – and even nerdy – hobby. Though most of us are somewhat familiar with an Italian plumber racing through castles, a pac-man chomping on ghosts, and a hedgehog with a fondness for speed and golden rings.

In the decades since the release of Atari’s Pong, the industry has continued to expand and evolve. And consumers responded, spending 56-point 6 billion dollars last year alone on the hobby. And that’s just in the U-S. When we look worldwide, that number explodes to 100-70 billion dollars. Raking in more than the global movie industry. As gaming continues its cultural expansion, questions of who video games are made for, what types of gamers should have access, and what that access even looks like have emerged.

Accessibility journalist Grant Stoner whose work has appeared in the Washington Post, Wired, I-G-N and Can I Play That? took a moment to speak to us about the purpose, and importance, of accessibility in gaming.