“Just Say the Word”
An Interview with Robin Christopherson MBE on Voice Gaming, Accessibility, and the Future of Alexa Games
When it comes to breaking barriers and championing digital inclusion, few voices are as inspiring and insightful as Robin Christopherson MBE. Awarded his MBE in 2017 for services to digital inclusion, Robin’s work as a co-founder of AbilityNet and his dedication to accessible tech has paved the way for many. Drawing on this expertise, he shares his thoughts on Alexa Games and how the Mini Games Skill is helping voice gaming reach more players than ever.
Robin’s accolades are too many to list but some of his most notable honours include the Tech4Good Special Award – joining the ranks of influential figures such as Steven Hawking as well as his spot in the Top 100 Most Influential People in Digital Government.
As the host of his own Alexa podcast and the recipient of an Amazon Spotlight in 2023, Robin has cemented his status as a leading voice in the Alexa space. Making it clear that he was the perfect person to speak to about voice gaming, accessibility and the future of Alexa Games – and we were fortunate enough to secure a chat!
What Voice Gaming Gets Right
When asked what voice gaming offers that other platforms often miss, Robin highlights its affordability and natural accessibility for blind users like himself,
“It’s inclusive by default, If it’s voice first, you’re not locked out like so many traditional games.”
The low barrier to entry means smart speakers like the Amazon Echo offer a casual, fun way for many people to enjoy gaming without the typical hurdles.
Robin’s description of Alexa Games as ‘universal’ accentuates their natural accessibility not just for blind users but for people with mobility and cognitive issues or any kind of restrictive impairment.
“Everyone can just give it a go, there’s no barrier to entry and that’s incredibly powerful”.
While traditional gaming often requires fast reflexes, visual cues, or expensive hardware, voice gaming flips that on its head. It’s immediate, it’s ambient, and we definitely think it’s fun. You don’t need a complex controller or fancy graphics, just your voice and a willingness to be entertained.
‘Discoverability is Broken’: Where Alexa Still Falls Short
Despite the inclusive potential of Alexa games, Robin is candid about the platform’s
limitations, especially when it comes to discoverability.
“You can have the most brilliant Alexa skill out there, but if the title isn’t intuitive or the store
doesn’t surface it, nobody’s going to find it.” – making it hard to find the gems.
Robin suggests enhanced curation or editorial guidance similar to mobile stores, featuring ‘Top Picks’ or ‘New this Week’ sections to support discoverability. While Amazon offers some recommendations, they can feel random or unhelpful in connecting the right skills with their audiences. Hopefully this is something that we see improve alongside the integration of Alexa+.
Robin’s Dot to Dot Alexa Podcast showcases new skills daily and has arguably become a stand in for that missing infrastructure, as he does the leg work for many of us users, sifting through and experimenting with all Alexa Skills, whether they’re monumental or just meh.
Mini Games: The Perfect Bite Sized Fun
When asked about his favourite games, Robin leans more toward the ‘monumental’ side as his enthusiasm for Alexa Mini Games shines through, “I love the mini games series, they really stand out.” (We didn’t ask him to say this).
He goes on to praise the Mini Game Nuclear War as a stand out for its unapologetic story and characters as well as the advanced game mechanics and long play engagement.
Robin didn’t reserve his praise for just this style of Alexa game though as he goes on to commend smaller games like “The tycoonish Chocolate Factory and the silly randomness of games like Silly Seagull that add that extra bit of humour” demonstrating the balance between mechanics and enjoyability that allows for a more casual and fun gaming experience.
The progression of voice gaming over the years has resulted in more sophisticated games being released with increasingly complex stories and systems. Although recognising the impact of these advancements, Robin personally prefers something gentler, hence his proclivity toward Mini Games, enjoying the variety of high production bitesize fun and longer play adventures mixed with trivia and memory. This enjoyment is enhanced when considering the relaxed competition element that appeals to many, as you get to join a team and help steer them toward Alexa glory in the monthly leaderboard!
When asked what makes these Alexa games so good Robin conveyed three crucial requirements in which he assesses them by:
Replayability – A critical aspect to ensure you keep coming back.
High Audio Production Value – A key part of maximising the user experience.
Fun – Quite possibly the most important measure of Alexa game success, if you’re not
enjoying it then you’re not playing it.
The continued SFX development on Alexa games has proven pivotal to meeting these standards and Robin goes on to celebrate a few other games like ‘Knight Manager’ which he found to be exceptionally well produced as well as ‘The magic door’ and ‘Dark Citadel’ which were cited as a ‘voice classic’ and ‘brilliant audio adventure’ respectively.
These games exhibit the variety of formats that are available with Alexa Mini Games, offering long form single player type content as well as shorter plays like Trivia Games that can be enjoyed with friends and family.
If you’re looking for some of the best games to try out yourself, why not check out our list:
The Future of Voice Gaming and AI
Looking ahead, Robin sees voice gaming evolving hand in hand with AI and smarter assistants. Alexa+ for example, could change how users interact not just with games, but with voice assistants themselves. While this raises a “double edged sword” with potential concerns that people may use Alexa more conversationally and colloquially rather than for
playing games, this is balanced by the opportunity for personalised and adaptive storytelling, gameplay and discoverability.
Imagine games that tailor their narratives and challenges based on your preferences or mood, powered by AI and machine learning. It’s the kind of immersive experience that could appeal to both casual players and those craving a bit more depth.
Robin also points to emerging APIs and third party AI tools that could revolutionise game design, enabling dynamic sound effects and branching stories – turning voice games into true adventures.
Accessibility in Gaming: Progress, Challenges & Hope
Due to their accessible nature, Alexa Games has an increasingly inclusive user base, however this isn’t necessarily applicable across all platforms. As Robin poignantly explains,
“Games like Call of Duty have high demands on vision, dexterity and cognition. Which is a challenge from an accessibility point of view”.
Despite this he went on to acknowledge the positive strides that developers are making with accessibility options, citing ‘The Last of Us Part II’ which was celebrated for its goal of ensuring as many fans have the opportunity to experience the game as possible with a large number of configurable accessibility options and presets.
Bethesda Game Studios took this even further by configuring the entire Skyrim game to Alexa. Although limited game mechanics this is the first step in the door for proving that Triple-A games can facilitate huge releases while still being accessible for the masses to enjoy.
Beyond traditional consoles, Robin is optimistic about the accessible space’s development and how tools such as accessible controllers, advancements in eye tracking, voice recognition and even AI implementation in technology such as screen readers allows for the interpretation of complex visuals meaning more people can enjoy gaming than ever before:
“There are loads of disabled gamers out there doing amazing things, gaming in different paradigms like smart speakers or online games with low visuals but high keyboard access”
This pace of improvement and development has given Robin hope for a more inclusive future,
“The strides going on across all impairment categories are empowering people not to be left behind.”
The key, he says, is making games and tech inclusive from the ground up, not as an afterthought.
Dot to Dot Podcast: Your Guide to Alexa and Voice Tech
Robin’s daily podcast Dot to Dot is a treasure trove for anyone wanting to explore Alexa and voice skills. It offers live demos and reviews in a snappy five minute format. Robin explains:
“We began it because the Echo came along and it was brilliant. Podcasts are perfect for bite sized demos people can hear and then try themselves.”
The Dot To Dot Podcast is one of the easiest ways to dip into the Alexa ecosystem – especially for gamers who don’t know where to start. Each episode highlights a single skill or game in a few short minutes and with around 3,000 episodes under his belt, Robin’s dedication is apparent. Always testing, always exploring, and always sharing insights with a passionate community.
“We just say: here’s one to try today. Some are silly. Some are super useful. Some you’ll never use again. But that’s fine, it’s about the joy of discovering what voice can do.”
Robin also co-hosted another Alexa podcast called ‘The Echo Show’, and while it is currently on hiatus, if you’re looking for more comprehensive reviews and gameplay there is a huge back catalogue of deep dives into Alexa Games, including our Mini Games, which you can try for yourself here…
If you want to tune in for Robin’s daily Dot To Dot Podcast check it out here or access it from any of your favourite podcatching apps.
Visit AbilityNet.org.uk to find loads of resources and webinars on all things tech and inclusion and to see what events are coming up!
Also, if you’re looking to improve workplace wellbeing within your organisation, visit Robin’s other company Clear Talents for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Software that helps businesses make reasonable adjustments to support their employees.
Why You Should Try Alexa Mini Games Today
Robin’s parting advice?
“Ask your Echo to open Mini Games right now! They’re my go to for what you can do game wise on the Echo. They drag you in instantly, and then there’s quite a few of them to explore.”
We of course couldn’t agree more. These quick, engaging titles are a perfect introduction to voice gaming’s potential.
At Alexa Games we’re proud to be part of this growing ecosystem of inclusivity and are excited to continue building games that are fun, accessible, and just a little bit addictive. Whether you’re a voice gaming newbie or a seasoned player, Alexa Mini Games offer something fresh and exciting for everyone.
Ready to Play?
If you’re ready to explore a new kind of accessible voice first gaming, start with our Mini Games collection on AlexaGames.com.
Or simply say:
“Alexa, enable Mini Games.”
Keep an eye out for monthly new releases – the fun is only just beginning…
