Pixels of Inclusion: A Historical Framework Long before “accessibility” became a buzzword, gamers with ADHD and autism quietly forged communities in the pixelated corners of early arcade halls. In the 1980s, games shipped with lives, limited continues, and punishing difficulty spikes that taxed attention spans already predisposed to wandering thoughts. Yet dedicated players hacked ROMs and shared “cheat codes” in zines, crafting the first grassroots accessibility patches. These DIY solutions—slowing down enemy bullets or giving infinite lives—were born not of corporate foresight but of compulsion to belong. As home consoles matured in the 1990s, “easy mode” toggles appeared, more so

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